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WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 





































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THE TIGER SEIZED HIM BY THE SHOULDER 





WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


A TALE OF 

THE RELIEF OF THE LEGATIONS 


BY 


G. A. HENTY 

Author of “With Roberts to Pretoria ” “ Redskin and Cowboy ” 
“ With the British Legion ’’ &c. 


i 

ILLUSTRATED BY WAL PA GET 



NEW YORK 

CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 
1903 


A* 


THE LIBRARY OR 
CONGRESS, 

Two Copie* Received 

SEP 18 1903 


* Copyright Entry 

. I U> , /<?o3 
CLASS CV XXo. N®, 

6 & 4 o% 

COPY A. 


\^> V 


COPYRIGHT, 1903, BY 
CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS. 

Published September , 1903. 


THE CAXTON PRESS 
New York City, XT. S. A. 


PREFACE 


The campaign which ended with the relief of the Pekin 
Legations is unique in its way, carried on as it was by an 
army made up of almost all the nationalities of Europe. The 
quarrel originated in the rising of a mob of ruffians who 
were known by us under the name of Boxers. The move- 
ment spread like wildfire, and soon developed into the whole- 
sale massacre of the missionaries of Northern China. The 
Empress, seeing the formidable nature of the rising, and 
hoping to gain by it the expulsion of all foreigners from her 
dominions, allied herself with the Boxers, besieged the 
various Legations, and attacked Tientsin, which stands upon 
the river by which the trade with Pekin is carried on. 
Admiral Seymour, with a force of little over a thousand men, 
marched to the relief of the Legations. The railway, how- 
ever, was cut both before and behind him, and after severe 
fighting he retired upon a Chinese fortress a few miles from 
Tientsin, where he maintained himself until he was relieved 
by another force which had arrived by sea and had de- 
stroyed the forts at the mouth of the river. Tientsin itself 
was captured by the allies after one day’s hard fighting, and 
the army then advanced to the relief of the Legations. The 
opposition they met with was trifling in comparison with 
that which they had encountered at Tientsin, and they arrived 
at Pekin not a moment too soon. It was found that the 
Legations had been very hard pressed, some of them having 


v 


VI 


PREFACE 


been destroyed by fire. But the garrison had maintained a 
heroic defence, aided by the native Christians who had 
escaped the massacre and taken refuge with them, and who 
had done excellent work in the building and constant repair 
of the defences, sometimes under the heavy fire of the 
enemy. The Empress had fled, but negotiations were opened 
with her and terms of peace were ultimately agreed to. For 
the particulars of the campaign I have relied chiefly upon 
The War of the Civilizations , by George Lynch, China and 
the Powers , by H. C. Thomson, and The Siege of Pelcin 
Legations, by the Rev. Roland Allen, M. A. 


G. A. HENTY. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER 

I. 

School, .... 






PAGE 

1 

II. 

The Boxers, 






20 

III. 

In Disguise, 






39 

IY. 

A Rescue, 






55 

Y. 

With Seymour’s Column, 






76 

VI. 

In Pekin, 






96 

VII. 

Fortifying the Legations, 






110 

VIII. 

A Perilous Adventure, 






134 

IX. 

In the Enemy’s Camp, 






148 

X. 

A Mission, 






180 

XI. 

The Fight at Tientsin, 






211 

XII. 

Delays, .... 






232 

XIII. 

Capturing the Taku Forts, 






251 

XIV. 

Surrounded, 






270 

XV. 

Relief in Sight, 






286 

XVI. 

The Capture of Pekin, 






303 

XVII. 

The Story of the Siege, 






322 

XVIII. 

Conclusion, 

. 

. 

. 

. 

. 

337 


vii 




ILLUSTRATIONS 


PAGE 

“ The tiger seized him by the shoulder,” . Frontis 198 

Rex rescues his cousrNS from the Boxers, ... 62 

Rex interrogates a wounded Boxer, .... 100 

“ They WERE LOWERED DOWN ONE AFTER THE OTnER,” . 142 

" Rex's revolver cracked out,” 170 

“ There was a lull of surprise then a confused jai> 

BERING, FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL MUSKET-SIIOTS,” . . 200 

“ Basil Guy ran back and bound up his wounds,” . . 236 

“ Their cavalry cut up the flying Chinese,” . . . 290 


Map illustrating the Relief of the Pekin Legations, Facing 2 0. 1 






M 869 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


CHAPTER I 

SCHOOL 

W ELL, Rex, how do you think you will like school?” 

“I don’t know very much about it yet. Uncle. 
You told me that I was to expect to be bothered and 
bullied a bit just at first, but it was not so bad as I supposed. 
I was asked a lot of questions, and when I said I had been 
taken to China when I was a year old and lived there ever 
since, they gave me the nickname of the Heathen Chinee at 
once. Of course I did not mind that at all. You told me 
that probably they would give me a nickname of some sort, 
and that was just as good as another. Anyhow, after the 
first two days they let me alone. I came off better than some 
of the other new boys, who got out of temper to begin with; 
so I expect it is all over as far as I am concerned now.” 

“ I expect so, Rex. The boy who takes things good-tem- 
peredly is soon left alone.” 

The speakers were Hr. Bateman and his nephew Reginald, 
who was always known as Rex. They had landed at South- 
ampton a month before. Mr. Bateman, who was a member 
of a firm of merchants at Tientsin, had returned to England 
to take up the management of the London house, the senior 
partner having died. Rex was the son of James, the younger 
brother of the two remaining partners. As soon as it had 


2 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


been arranged that the elder brother should return to Eng- 
land, it was agreed that he should take Rex with him. It 
had for some time been a settled thing that the boy should 
come home for three or four years in order to associate with 
English boys and learn their ways, and at the end of that 
time should return to China and begin to learn the business. 
Robert, now the chief partner, was unmarried, and as it was 
therefore probable that Rex would some day become in turn 
the head of the firm, both his father and uncle were anxious 
that he should be prepared as far as possible for that posi- 
tion. 

Rex would have been sent over sooner had they not been 
afraid that he might altogether forget Chinese, which he 
now spoke as well as English. From his early childhood he 
had been principally under the charge of a Chinaman named 
Ah Lo, who had been chosen from among the Chinese ser- 
vants for that post. Ah Lo had at that time been a strong 
young fellow of eighteen years of age, intelligent and good- 
tempered. He was the son of the native storekeeper, and the 
child had taken to him. The choice had been a good one. 
The lad had watched over his charge with the care of a 
woman. He regarded it as a great honour to have been 
chosen for the post, and was never so happy as when he 
took the child out, perched on his shoulder, or rowed him 
about in a sampan. As he grew up Rex had to spend half 
of his time at his books, and his mother kept him a good 
deal with her, as it was as necessary that he should speak 
English perfectly, and receive the usual education, as that 
he should speak Chinese perfectly. And then, when it was 
decided that his uncle should return to England, it was at 
once agreed that Rex should accompany him. 

“ I should be glad,” his father said, “ if he could go to a 
great public school, and then to one of the universities ; but 


SCHOOL 


3 


there are two objections to that course. In the first place, 
when he was finished he would be less inclined to settle down 
to office work here ; and in the second place, he would entirely 
forget Chinese. He might pick it up again, but he would 
never come to speak it like a native — an accomplishment 
which would unquestionably be a very great advantage to 
him in many ways. You and I, Eobert, can get on fairly 
well, but we help our Chinese largely with pidgin English, 
and often feel the disadvantage of not being able to talk 
fluently to the people in their own language. Of course I 
quite agree with you that it is necessary for Eex to mix 
with English boys of his own age, and become in all respects 
like them, but I am sorry to think that in four years he will 
have lost a great deal of his Chinese.” 

“I have been thinking of that too, James, and my idea 
is that it would be a good thing to take Ah Lo to England 
with us. He is very much attached to the boy, and the boy 
to him.” 

“ Yes,” the other said doubtfully, “ that is so ; but it would 
not be possible to have Ah Lo with him when he is at 
school.” 

“Quite impossible, James; the boy’s life, even if it could 
be managed, would be made a burden to him. No, I should 
propose that Ah Lo should remain with me. He is a useful 
fellow in many respects, and when Eex is engaged with his 
lessons, he, like most of his countrymen, can turn his hand 
to anything. My idea is that we arrange with the master 
of the school to let Eex off two afternoons and evenings in 
the week. He could then meet Ah Lo at the railway-station, 
or at some other place a little distance from the school, and 
could go out for walks with him, and if there is a river, go 
on the water, or make an excursion by rail. In that way, as 
they would be together for five or six hours twice a week, 


4 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


Rex could keep up his Chinese. Of course I should choose 
some school within a reasonable distance of London. I shall 
probably take a house eight or ten miles out of town, near 
Surbiton, or somewhere in that direction. We have agreed 
that Rex cannot go to one of the great public schools, as, 
although perhaps better read in English literature and history 
than most boys of his age, he is backward in Latin and mathe- 
matics. Still, I could find some good school, say within ten 
or fifteen miles of my house. Moreover, the plan I suggest 
could not be carried out at a public school. It would not be 
permissible, at such an institution, for boys to break through 
the ordinary routine, but I have no doubt that I could make 
the arrangement I propose at what you may call a good school, 
other than Harrow, or Eton, or Winchester.” 

te It would certainly be a capital plan, Robert.” 

“ Of course I should see that his off-days were not the half- 
holidays, because we want him to learn to play cricket and 
football, and he would be out of it altogether if he were to 
lose the half-holidays. I see no reason why the plan should 
not be carried out. In that way he would keep up the 
language, and at the same time would take part in the games 
played in the school. In winter I should arrange for the use 
of a comfortable room in the town, where they could sit and 
talk. I shall let Ah Lo wear his native clothes, if he likes, at 
my place; but when he goes to meet Rex I shall put him 
into European costume and make him twist his pigtail up 
and hide it under his hat. If any of Rex’s school chums 
were to see the boy about with a Chinaman, he would never 
hear the end of it.” 

On his arrival in England Mr. Bateman had taken a fur- 
nished house near Surbiton, and had made the arrangements 
he wished for Rex at a large school near the river, some 
fifteen miles away. Rex had now returned at the end of his 


SCHOOL 


5 


first fortnight. He was soon at home in his new life, and ere 
long became very popular among the boys of his own age. 
His good temper was unfailing, for although at first he was 
somewhat awkward in the games, he very speedily picked 
them up. As usual with new boys, he had one or two fights, 
and came out of them fairly well. Several of the boys 
learned boxing from a sergeant in the Guards, who came 
down from Windsor twice a week to teach them. Rex asked 
that he might be allowed to take lessons, and his uncle readily 
agreed. 

“ Certainly you may do so, Rex, and I am glad to find that 
you have the opportunity of learning how to use your hands. 
It is a valuable accomplishment for anyone, for it develops 
self-reliance and quickness of eye, strengthens the muscles, 
and improves the figure and carriage, and besides, it enables 
a man to hold his own in any circumstances; lastly, it is 
of special benefit to anyone living abroad and liable to aggres- 
sion or insult. An Englishman who can box well is a match 
for any two foreigners knowing nothing of the art, and need 
not fear the attack of any one man unless he is carrying 
firearms. I intended to propose that you should take lessons 
in the holidays, but as you can do so at school, by all means 
begin at once. Keep regularly at it, and the last year before 
you go back to China you shall have lessons from one of the 
best masters I can find.” 

Rex found himself very backward, so he set to work hard 
to repair his deficiencies, and had the satisfaction, at the end 
of the first term, of getting a remove into a higher form, 
where the boys were for the most part about his own age. At 
first many questions had been asked as to the reason why he 
was allowed to get off school two afternoons in the week; and 
when he said that as he would return to China when he left 
school, it was necessary that he should keep up a knowledge 


6 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


of the language, there was a good deal of amusement. Once 
or twice in his walks with Ah Lo he came across some of the 
boys, who were fond of hunting for plants or insects, and he 
was a good deal chaffed at Ah Lo’s appearance. 

“ I thought he would have been dressed in Chinese clothes,” 
said one of his friends, “ with little turn-up-toe shoes, and 
a skull-cap with a peacock’s feather in it, but he is really 
quite an ordinary-looking chap. He is a big fellow, and of 
course of a yellowish-brown complexion, with queerly-shaped 
eyes, which make him look as if he squinted; but he seems 
very good-natured.” 

“ He has got a pig-tail, but he wears it under his coat,” said 
another. 

“ I should think that he would be an awkward customer in 
a tussle. I had no idea the Chinese were such big fellows, 
Bateman.” 

“ They differ in height in some of the Provinces, but a great 
many of them are tall, and very strong. You should see 
them loading a ship or carrying things through the streets. 
They can carry a good deal heavier weight than most English 
sailors. They are generally very good-tempered, but they get 
into a tremendous state of excitement sometimes, and holla 
and shout at each other so, that you would think they would 
tear each other to pieces; but it is not often that they really 
come to blows.” 

At the beginning of the next term Ah Lo distinguished 
himself. He had been for a long walk up the river-bank with 
Bex, when they saw three of the boys of the school rowing. 
A barge was coming down, towed by a horse. There was 
plenty of room inside for the boat to pass, and the rope was 
trailing in the water, but just as they were about to row over 
it the man who was riding the horse suddenly quickened his 
pace. The rope immediately tightened, and catching the bow 


SCHOOL 


7 


of the boat turned it over, throwing the boys into the water. 
The driver and a bargee, who was walking on the bank near 
them, burst into shouts of loud laughter. The boys could all 
swim, and as the overturned boat was but twelve yards from 
the bank, they soon clambered up. They at once made for 
the driver and furiously accused him of upsetting them on 
purpose. The fellows laughed boisterously, and the boys, 
losing their tempers, made a rush towards them. At this 
moment Ah Lo and Rex arrived on the scene. They had 
witnessed the whole affair, and had run up. The Chinaman, 
without hesitation, brought his stick down on the head of the 
driver of the horse, levelling him to the ground, but breaking 
the weapon in his hand. The bargee made a sudden rush. 
Ah Lo had no idea of fighting, but with a wild shout he threw 
himself upon the man, striking, shouting, scratching, and 
kicking. 

The bargee was taken wholly by surprise at such a novel 
assault, and stepped farther and farther back till Ah Lo, see- 
ing his opportunity, clasped him by the waist and hurled him 
into the river. 

“You bery bad man,” he exclaimed, “to strikee lillee boy! 
You upsettee piecee boat; you comee out Ah Lo breakie you 
head.” 

The bargee stood with the water up to his waist. He did 
not like the look of this strange adversary, who had, more- 
over, allies in the shape of four boys, all of whom were evi- 
dently prepared to take their part in the fray. 

“ Tompkins,” Rex said, “ you might as well swim in and 
get those two oars that have drifted down. You cannot be 
wetter than you are, and if these fellows want any more the 
oars would come in wonderfully handy.” 

“ Now then,” shouted the bargee with a string of the 
strongest possible language, “ how long are you going to keep 


8 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


me standing here, and my mate a-lying there with his brains 
half knocked out ? ” 

“He is all right,” Rex said; “he will come round soon 
without your help, I dare say. He will have a lump on his 
head to-morrow, but he will be no worse. I don’t think he 
will try to tighten the rope and upset another boat. As soon 
as we get the oars you can come ashore, if you like, and see to 
him.” 

In a minute or two Tompkins landed with the two oars. 
Rex gave one of them to Ah Lo, and took the other himself. 
The Chinaman swung it round his head like a windmill, and 
then nodded with a satisfied air. 

“ Now the sooner you three get the boat ashore and turn 
her over the better,” Rex said. “ There is no fear of this 
fellow interfering with us again. Now you can come ashore, 
bargee, and look after your horse. In another minute the 
rope will pull him into the river if you don’t mind. 

The man came out with a growl, and then went to the 
horse and, taking him by the head, led him up along the bank 
until the stream drifted the barge alongside. By this time 
his companion had sat up and was looking round in a be- 
wildered way. 

“ You just sit where you are,” Rex said, “ unless you want 
another crack on the head worse than the first. Your mate is 
getting the barge alongside. It does not always pay, you 
see, to play tricks on boys.” 

They waited until the others had got the water emptied 
out of the boat and put into the river again. The oars were 
then handed in to them and they started down the river, Rex 
and Ah Lo walking quietly down the path. The bargee 
scowled at them as they passed him, but the specimen he had 
had of the Chinaman’s strength deterred him from making 
any outward demonstration. 


SCHOOL 


9 


“You did that splendidly, Ah Lo,” Rex said. “I had no 
idea that you were so tremendously strong. The way you 
chucked him into the river astounded me as much as it did 
him.” 

“ He was a bad man,” the Chinaman said quietly. “ What 
he want to upset boat for ? ” 

“ He will be cautious how he tries again,” Rex laughed, 
“ unless he sees that the towing-path is quite clear of anyone 
who might interfere.” 

Hitherto Rex had been a good deal chaffed by the boys 
about this Chinaman, but from this time forward Ah Lo was 
always spoken of with respect ; and indeed a subscription was 
got up to present him with a handsome silver-mounted stick 
in place of the one he had broken. There was general 
satisfaction at the defeat of the bargee, for it was not the 
first time that boats had been purposely upset, and there was 
a standing feud between the boys and these bullies of the 
river. 

It cannot be said that Rex was in any way distinguished in 
his progress with his studies. He was on the modern side of 
the school, for his uncle did not wish him to waste his time in 
learning Latin and Greek, which could be of no possible use 
to him in a career in China. In his English subjects he 
made fair progress, and maintained a good, though by no 
means a high, position in his form. In all sports, however, 
he took a prominent place among the boys of his own age. 
Accustomed to take swimming exercise daily, he was, when 
fifteen, the fastest swimmer in the school. He won several 
prizes in the athletic sports, and had a good chance of getting 
into the second eleven at cricket. It was considered certain, 
too, that he would have a place in the second football team. 
Before he left, at sixteen, he had gained both these objects of 
his ambition, and it was generally considered that he might 


10 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN" 


even win a place in the first football team in the following 
season. 

“ You would be light for it,” the captain said, “ but you are 
so fast and active that you would be more useful than many 
of the fellows who are a good deal heavier than you are.” 

“ I am sorry I am not going to return after this term, but 
my time is up. I have been nearly four years away from my 
people now, and I shall be glad to be at work.” 

“ I suppose it is not a bad life out there ? ” 

“ Not at all. Of course it is hot, but one is indoors most of 
the day, and they do all they can to make the houses cool. 
The office shuts up early. After that one takes a bath and 
puts on flannels, and goes for a ride or a row on the river. 
Of course I could not do much that way then, but I have been 
so much on the water here that it will be much jollier now.” 

“ I suppose you don’t have much to do with the Chi- 
nese ? ” 

“ They work as porters and that sort of thing, but other- 
wise we do not see much of them. The native town is quite 
separate from the British portion, and it is not often that 
Europeans enter it. I expect that they do so even more sel- 
dom now, for my father’s last letter tells me that there is a 
general feeling of disquiet, and that letters from missionaries 
up the country say the same thing. But our officials at 
Pekin do not seem to be at all uneasy. My father says that 
you might as well try to drive a wooden peg into a stone as 
to get the officials at Pekin to believe anything that they 
don’t want to believe. That is one reason why I want to be 
off as soon as I can, for if things look more serious my father 
might write and say that I had better stay here for a time 
to see how matters turn out, and naturally if there is a row I 
should not like to miss it.” 

“ It would be very hard,” the other said approvingly, “ if 


SCHOOL 


11 


there was a row and you were kept out of it. Of course it 
would be soon over, the Chinese would never stand against 
European troops.” 

“ I don’t suppose they would, Milton ; but they are plucky 
enough in their way, and they are not a bit afraid of death. 
My uncle says that he hears they have got no end of rifles 
and guns — good ones, you know; not the old gimcrack ones 
they used to have.” 

“Look how the Japs thrashed them, Bateman.” 

“ Yes, but it was from no want of pluck on the part of the 
Chinese. The Japs were well disciplined, while the Chinese 
had no discipline at all. Besides, what was worse, they had 
no officers worth anything. All appointments there are given 
by exams., and as everyone who is not an ass knows, a fellow 
who is awfully good at books may be no good whatever as a 
soldier. Look at our sixth form. Why, among the captains 
and monitors, how many of them would make an officer? 
Peebles is short-sighted, Johnstone is lame, and there is not 
one of them who is any good at football or cricket; while 
many fellows who are not so high would make infinitely 
better officers. Well, it is like that with everything in China. 
The great thing there is for a man to acquire what is called a 
classical style — something the same, you know, as Cicero 
writes in and Demosthenes talked. The Bomans and Greeks 
were both pretty longheaded, but they never thought of ap- 
pointing either of these men as generals in the field. Why, 
look at our head; he is choke-full of learning. Well, if he 
had lived in China he would have been made either an 
admiral or a general. Just fancy him with his spectacles, a 
skull-cap with a peacock’s feather, and flowing robes, peering 
vaguely about him on the look-out for an enemy. How can 
you expect fellows to fight who are officered by men of that 
sort ? ” 


12 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ But our army is officered by men who have passed 
exams.” 

“ Yes, but at any rate the exams, for the army are not very 
difficult, and there is time for them to play as well as work. 
Still, I know my uncle thinks that it is about the worst way 
that could have been chosen for the selection of officers, and 
that in the next war we get into there will be no end of 
blunders.” 

“ It is likely enough that there will be ; but there is one 
thing you must remember, and that is that, fortunately, the 
fellows who i muz ’ at school are not the sort of fellows who 
go in for army examinations. They go into the church, or to 
the bar, or as masters in schools, or things of that sort. Look 
at us here. Lots of the fellows in the cricket and football 
teams are intended for the army, and I suppose it is the same 
in other schools, as it is from them that the officers are drawn. 
I don’t say that there mayn’t be a few of what you may call 
the grinders ; still, certainly the bulk of them are not the sort 
of men who would ever set the Thames on fire if it came to 
only brain work.” 

“ Have you ever thought of going into the army, Bate- 
man ? ” 

“ No, because I have a line ready cut out for me. I think 
a fellow is a fool who wants to take up a fresh line for himself 
instead of taking that where he is certain, if he is steady and 
so on, to do well; and in the next place, when one is an only 
son, as I am, I think that, even putting aside the question of 
doing well, it is his duty to help as far as he can to take the 
burden of the work off his father’s shoulders as he gets on 
in life.” 

“ There is no doubt that you are right, Bateman. That is 
the way to look at it, though it isn’t everyone who has the 
sense to do it. As I have got two elder brothers I am free to 


SCHOOL 


13 


choose my own line, and shall, if I can pass, go into the army ; 
if not, I shall emigrate. I have got grit and muscle enough 
to do as well as most fellows in that way, and it seems to 
me that with good health and spirits it would not be a bad 
sort of life at all. If I manage to pass we may possibly meet 
out in China some day. There are rows in that part of the 
world every few years, and although from all descriptions of 
the country campaigning there must be unpleasant work, at 
least it would be a change and an interesting experience.” 

“ Well, Milton, if you are out there we shall be very likely 
to meet, for any force going towards Pekin would be sure to 
pass through Tientsin, and if that were the case I should try 
to go with it as interpreter. However, I hope there won’t 
be any rows, for though in the treaty towns we should no 
doubt be all right and the troops would be certain to lick the 
Chinese, the missionaries all over the country would be 
certain to have an awful time of it. We should be very 
anxious about that, because my mother’s sister married a 
missionary and is settled a long way up the country.” 

“ Is your Chinaman going back with you?” 

“ Yes; I should be awfully sorry to leave him behind. He 
has been with me as long as I can remember. My uncle only 
brought him over here in order that I might keep up my 
Chinese. I am sure that he would go through fire and water 
for me. It is a good thing to have a man like that, for, 
putting aside the fact that I like him tremendously, I would 
trust myself anywhere with him, for he is very strong, and, 
as he showed when he attacked those two fellows who upset 
the boat soon after I came here, there is no doubt that he is 
plucky. I expect he will be very glad to be home again. 
He has got accustomed to European clothes now, but I have 
no doubt that he would prefer his own; and then, of course, 
his family are there, and in China family ties are very strong. 


14 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


Families always stick to'gether, even to distant relations. My 
uncle says that the population should be counted by families 
and not by individuals. Of course I did not think of such 
matters before I came away, but he says that it is like the old 
Scotch clans : the State deals with the families and not with 
the different members of it. If a man commits a crime and 
gets away, the family are held responsible for it, and one of 
them has to suffer penalties and pays either a large money 
fine or is executed.” 

“ That would be very rough on a family that happens to 
have one scamp among the sons.” 

“ Yes, I suppose so ; but it helps to keep them all straight. 
A fellow who committed a crime, for which his father or any 
of his near relations had to suffer, would be considered not 
only as a disgrace to the family but as a man altogether 
accursed and beyond the pall of pity whatever fate might 
befall him. My uncle says crime is very rare in China, and 
that this is very largely due to the family ties.” 

“ But there are pirates on the coast and, as I hear, robbers 
on many of the rivers ? ” 

“Yes; uncle says these men are fellows who have left their 
native villages and have banded together, so that if they are 
caught it is never known to what families they belong. They 
are beheaded, and there is an end of them, and their family 
never know anything about their case. The Chinese are a 
very peaceable lot, except that they sometims get tremen- 
dously stirred up, as in the case of the Taiping insurrection. 
The people hear stories that the foreigners are trying to upset 
their religion or to take some of the land. Hideous stories 
go about that they have killed and eaten children or sacri- 
ficed them in some terrible way. Then they seem to go mad; 
they throw down their hoes and take up swords and muskets, 
if they have them, and blindly fall upon the whites.” 


SCHOOL 


15 


“ They call us the foreign devils, don’t they ? ” 

“No, that is a mistake; the real meaning of the words is 
‘ocean devils,’ which answers to our word ‘pirates.’ Euro- 
peans were called so because the Chinese coasts were ravaged, 
sacked, and burnt by adventurers who first sailed into the 
Chinese seas, and the name has been applied to the whites 
ever since. It is the same way with the name of their 
country. By a misunderstanding, when we first had diplo- 
matic relations with them the word ‘ Celestial ’ was applied 
to their empire, and people ever since have believed that 
that is what they call the country. The word ‘ Celestial ’ is 
applied only to the emperor, who is viewed almost as a god, 
but they would never dream of applying it to the country. 
Because the document said ‘ the Celestial Emperor,’ it was 
supposed that the kingdom over which he reigned was called 
the ‘ Celestial Kingdom.’ On the contrary, they call it the 
‘ Terrestrial Kingdom,’ believing, as they did before they had 
anything to do with foreigners, that it was, in fact, the only 
kingdom existing on earth worthy of the name.” 

“ And can you write Chinese as well as you can talk it, 
Bateman ? ” 

“ I can write the ordinary Chinese, but not the language of 
the literati class; that is entirely different, and the ordinary 
Chinaman has no more knowledge of it than I have. I 
believe that it contains twenty thousand different characters, 
and it is very doubtful if even the most learned Chinaman 
understands them all. Even the popular language is scarcely 
understood in all parts of China. The dialects differ as much 
as some of the English dialects, and the native of the 
Northern Provinces has the greatest difficulty in convers- 
ing with a man from the South.” 

“ There is the bell ringing, and I must run round to the 
boarding-house to get my books.” 


16 


WITH THE ALX.IES TO PEKItf 


Rex was extremely sorry when the last day of the term 
arrived and he had to say good-bye to his friends. Ah Lo, 
on the other hand, when he met him at the station, was 
in the highest spirits. He was delighted that he was 
henceforth always to be with his young master, and* 
though this was a minor consideration to him, he rejoiced 
at the thought that he was soon to return to his native 
land. 

“ This is a good country,” he said, speaking in his own 
language, “much better than I had thought, and if all my 
family were not in China I should not mind living here all 
my life. They will be glad to see me too. Except that I 
have not been with them for so long, I have been a dutiful 
son, and have always sent half of my pay to my parents. 
They are well content with me. Fortunately I am the 
youngest of five sons. If I had been at home I should have 
had to stay at home to help my parents ; but my brothers are 
all married and live in the village, so they can look after 
them and help them in their labours. As I left so young 
they do not miss me, and the money I have saved has helped 
to keep them in comfort. They have indeed received much 
more than they would have done had I stayed at home and 
worked for them, for my wages have been as much as my 
four brothers could earn together. I have only sent from 
here the same as I did when I was at Tientsin, although I 
have been paid higher, but then I shall have much to spend 
before we start, in buying presents for them and all my 
relatives. Besides, I have saved half of my earnings, for I 
have had no occasion to spend money here, and with my 
former savings added to this I shall be the richest man in 
the village. If I were to go back I could live comfortably 
all my life, but I should never want to do that, master, as 
long as you will keep me with you.” 


SCHOOL 


17 


“ That will be as long as we both live, Ah Lo ; but I think 
that when you get back you ought to take a wife.” 

“ I shall think about it,” the Chinaman said, “ but I shall 
think many times before I do it. When a man is married he 
is no longer master of his own house. The wife is always 
good and obedient until she has a son; after that she takes 
much upon herself. If one were to get the right woman it 
would be very good, but it is not in China as it is here, where 
you see a great deal of a woman before you marry. In China 
I should have to say to one of the old women who act as inter- 
mediaries, 1 1 desire a wife/ Then she goes about and brings 
me a list of several marriageable girls. She praises them all 
up, and says that they are beautiful and mild-tempered, and 
at last I choose one on her report ; and it is not until after one 
is married that one can find out whether the report is true or 
not. Altogether the risk is great. I am happy and contented 
now; it would be folly for me to risk so much with so small 
an advantage. Suppose I had married before I came over 
here, my wife would have had to stay with my parents, and 
she might not have been happy there. I could not have 
brought her over here, for if I had done so everything would 
have been strange to her; the people would have pointed at 
her in the street, the boys would have called after her, and 
she would have been miserable.” 

“ I am sorry that you are going back, Rex,” his uncle said 
to him, when all the preparations for the voyage had been 
completed, and he was to embark on the following day. “ I 
should have liked to keep you here, but naturally your mother 
and father want you back, and it is certainly best for you 
that you should, at any rate for some years, be over there to 
learn the business thoroughly, so that when your father 
retires you can succeed him, and in time perhaps come back 
to take charge here, if you can find among the clerks one suf- 


18 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


ficiently capable to represent us out there. But I shall miss 
you, lad, sorely. I have always looked forward to your being 
home for the holidays, and I had great interest in your life 
and doings at school. Still, I knew, of course, that that 
could not last for ever. In a small way it will be a wrench 
losing Ah Lo ; I shall find a difficulty in getting anyone to fill 
his place. A more attentive or obliging fellow I have never 
come across. It will be a satisfaction to me to know that he 
is with you, for should any troubles arise, which I regard as 
quite possible, you will find him invaluable. 

“ I only intended, when I took this house, to stay here until 
you returned, but I know so many people round here now 
that I shall probably stay on. I found it intolerably dull the 
first year, but now that I know all my neighbours it is dif- 
ferent, and if I were to leave and take a house in town I 
should have all the work of making friends again. 

“ I hope that things will settle down in China. Your 
father’s letters of late have taken rather a gloomy view of 
things, and he is not by any means given that way. I am 
more impressed by what he says than by what I read in the 
papers. In his last letter he says, ‘ I feel as if I were living in 
a country subject to earthquakes, and that at any moment the 
ground might open under our feet. It does not seem to me 
that our officials at Pekin have any idea as to the extent of 
the danger, but most of us here believe that it is very real. 
Happily we are strong enough to hold out here till aid could 
reach us, and this will be the case in all the treaty ports, but 
up-country the outlook would be terrible. Emma is greatly 
troubled as to her sister up-country, although to some extent 
she shares the belief of Masterton that the Chinese officials 
will protect them against the mob if troubles should begin. 
Although I don’t tell Emma so, I do not share in that belief. 

“‘This Boxer movement, as it is called, might be easily 


SCHOOL 


19 


crushed now if the Chinese authorities chose, but there is 
good reason for believing that they have the secret support of 
the empress, and the men by whom she is surrounded. If so, 
the officials throughout the country will naturally go with 
the tide; and as life is thought so little of in China, few of 
them would bestir themselves in earnest to protect the mis- 
sionaries, still less the native converts. Well, I hope that I 
may be wrong, but I cannot feel at all comfortable in my 
mind as to the future.’ 

“ Knowing your father as I do, I cannot but think that 
the outlook is really serious. I was almost surprised that the 
letter did not conclude by saying, ‘ I think that you had 
better keep Bex for another year at school.’ ” 

“ I am very glad that it did not say so, uncle. For many 
reasons I am sorry to be going back, and I am very sorry to 
leave you. It has been very jolly at school, but if there is to 
be trouble I should like to be with my father and mother, and 
to do what little I can to aid in the defence of the English 
quarter if it should be attacked.” 


CHAPTER II 


THE BOXERS 


LL was ready at last, and Mr. Bateman went down with 



Rex to join the steamer at Gravesend. As they went 
out on the tender Mr. Bateman said to a gentleman of about 
his own age, “ Hillo, Chambers, who would have thought of 
seeing you here? Why, I haven’t seen you since I came 


home.” 


“No, I came three months after you did. I wonder we 
never ran across each other before. Surely you are not going 
out again ? ” 

“No, I have done with the glorious East for good,” the 
other laughed. “ I am only here to see my nephew off. You 
will hardly remember him; he was only about twelve when he 
came home with me.” 

“ I certainly should not have known him again, Bateman. 
I am here on the same errand as you. My son is going out 
to Runciman’s. I am still in the firm, and act as their agent 
here. I wonder we have never run against each other. My 
son is two or three years older than your nephew. Shake 
hands, you two young fellows. It will be pleasant for you 
both, starting with someone you know; it makes you feel 
comfortable at once. I know the purser of the Dragon, and 
will get him to shift one of you so that your cabins may be 
together. I know he will do that for me if the ship is not 
very full, which it is not likely to be at this time of year.” 


THE BOXERS 


21 


The two lads shook hands with each other. They had no 
time for any words, for at this moment the tender came along- 
side the steamer. 

“You had better leave your traps here, boys,” Mr. 
Chambers said, “ while I run down and see the purser before 
he gets the whole crowd at his heels.” In three minutes he 
returned. “ I have managed that for you,” he said. “ Bring 
all your light traps down and take possession. He has 
ordered one of the stewards to put your names on No. IT. 
It is a three-berth cabin, but you will have it to yourselves. 
When you have put all your light traps in, you had better 
come and watch the baggage put on board. I suppose you 
have already sent on board your nephew’s boxes for the hold, 
Bateman ? ” 

“ Yes ; he has only two flat trunks for the voyage, made, of 
course, to go under the berths.” 

“ That is just what my son has, plus a couple of gun cases.” 

“ Rex has the same, a double barrel and a Lee-Metford.” 

“You don’t think he will want that, do you?” 

“I hope not; but my brother James writes so gloomily 
about the prospect that we thought it just as well to get him 
a weapon .that might be useful in case of trouble.” 

“ Well, I gave my lad two good double-barrels, not bad 
weapons in case of a sudden ruction with the natives. I 
should think that would be the worst danger. My people tell 
me that there is a great deal of talk, but they do not think 
anything Will come of it.” 

“ I hope not, I am sure. It would play the deuce with 
trade, but I agree with you in thinking that after the lessons 
we have given the Chinese, and the tremendous thrashings 
they have had from the Japs, they will not be foolish enough 
to want to do any more fighting. I do know, though, that 
they have been buying huge quantities of guns of all sorts. 


22 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


and rifles. Still, I fancy that is only because they don’t mean 
to be caught napping again.” 

While the elders were talking, the two lads made their way 
below. They found a steward, who took them to the cabin, 
on which their names had already been stuck, and they 
deposited their light traps there. 

“ This will be very jolly, Bateman,” Chambers said, “ espe- 
cially as we are going to the same place. I have been at 
home for the past ten years, so it will be all new to me.” 

“I have only been at home for four,” Rex said. “ I 
dare say, however, I shall feel it strange when I go out 
again.” 

“ Who is the Chinese fellow who came off with you ? ” 

“He is one of the boys from my father’s place. He was 
my special boy till I came home, so they sent him over with 
me, and he has been at my uncle’s ever since.” 

“ It seems rum keeping him over here all this time.” 

“ Well, he was kept over here for my sake. I had leave out 
of school twice a week, and spent it with him in order to keep 
up my Chinese.” 

“ You mean to say you can talk it? ” 

“Yes, as well as English.” 

“By Jove, that is splendid! I wish they had done the 
same with me. I suppose I talked it when I came over, 
though I don’t know a word of it now, and shall have all 
the beastly grind of learning it.” 

“ Well, anyhow, it will be easier for you than if you had 
never known it. They say if anyone has once known a 
language and then forgotten it, it is much easier for him to 
pick it up again. Well, we had better go upstairs now and 
look after our baggage.” 

In a few minutes they picked out their boxes and saw 
them taken down to their cabin. Then they rejoined their- 


THE BOXEES 


23 


friends until the bell rang. The partings were made with at 
least a show of cheerfulness. 

“ I am awfully obliged to you for all your kindness to me, 
uncle,” Rex said. “ I have had a jolly time, thanks to you, 
and shall always look back upon it.” 

“ I have been glad to have you, Rex, and shall feel like a 
fish out of water without you. Give my love to them out 
there. I hope you will find things all quiet and comfortable.” 

They stood at the rail until the tender steamed away up the 
river, and then stood watching the passengers, many of whom 
were still hunting for missing boxes. Then they went down 
and tidied up their cabin, and afterwards walked on deck 
until the bell rang for dinner. 

Dick Chambers had been educated at Marlborough, had 
played in the eleven, and had represented the school at 
rackets. He had also been lieutenant in the school corps, 
and had shot in their Bisley team. He was a pleasant young 
fellow, though he put on airs on the strength of his two years’ 
seniority. 

“Well, are you glad you are going home?” he said, when 
they went forward together to speak to the Chinaman. 

“ Glad some ways, not other ways,” Ah Lo said. “ Velly 
nice summer time, too much rainee winter time.” 

“ But it is not very cheerful weather always in Tientsin, 
Ah Lo,” Rex said. 

“ I want to get home to see palents. Sent home money to 
them, but dat not likee seeing them. Good piecee people 
here.” 

“ You haven’t got to talk English very well,” Dick laughed, 
cc considering you have been four years over here.” 

“Always talk China- talk with Massa Rex. Talk with 
Master Robert same in China. Never let me talk English to 
Massa Rex. Talk lillie English to girls in kitchen. Dey 


24 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


always make fun of Ah Lo. Laugh at him face. Didn’t 
talk much with them. Just talk pidgin English.” 

“No, I have never talked to him in English from the time 
when he first took charge of me until now. My father and 
uncle always talked to him in Chinese, so he really has had 
very little chance.” 

“Not want very much learn English,” Ah Lo said; “if 
learn English, people in house say ‘ Ah Lo don’t do this,’ 
‘Ah Lo do that,’ keep him always at work.” 

“ You are like the monkeys who could talk well enough if 
they liked, but didn’t do so lest they were made to work.” 

Ah Lo grinned, and then said in Chinese to Rex, “ Ah 
Lo can work hard for his master, but not care to work hard 
for women who only make fun of him.” 

“ I don’t think the women meant to make fun of you, Ah 
Lo. My uncle told me that his housekeeper always spoke 
very well of you, and said that they all liked you.” 

“Always laughed at Chinaman’s English.” 

“Well, of course it was curious to English servants. 
Pidgin English is very curious to people who are unaccus- 
tomed to it, with your funny way of sticking in ‘ piecee ’ at 
every other word, and ‘number one first chop,’ and things of 
that sort. At any rate there were never any quarrels between 
them and you. Are you pretty comfortable down below ? ” 

“ Not bad. Ah Lo expects that he will have to hit three 
or four of those men who pretend to turn up their noses at 
him. Ah Lo very peaceable, not want to fight, but not to be 
treated like poor common Chinaman. Ah Lo hit very hard.” 

“ Yes, I know you do, Ah Lo,” said Rex, “ and I have no 
doubt that you will astonish them in that way if you begin. 
Still, it is better not to do it unless they provoka you a great 
deal.” 

He then walked aft again with Dick. ' 


THE BOXERS 


25 


Three days later a serious complaint was brought before 
the captain, that three men had been grievously assaulted and 
battered by a Chinaman. 

The captain was speaking to Rex when the complaint was 
made. 

“ That is my servant, no doubt,” Rex said. “ He is a very 
quiet and peaceable man, and no doubt some of the men for- 
ward must have been playing tricks on him.” 

The captain ordered the three complainants and the China- 
man to be brought aft. The faces of the former bore the 
signs of violent treatment, while the Chinaman was evidently 
none the worse of the conflict, and wore the usual placid air 
of his race. 

“ Now, let us hear your story,” the captain said. 

The three men each repeated the story, how without the 
smallest reason the Chinee had suddenly sprung upon them 
and beaten them. 

“ But how came you,” said the captain, “ three of you, to 
let this man assault you in the way you describe. Does your 
man speak English, Mr. Bateman ? ” 

“He understands it perfectly, sir, but only speaks pidgin 
English. If, however, you will question him in English I 
will translate his replies to you.” 

“ Well, sir, what do you mean by beating these men in this 
style ? ” 

“ These men make fun of me,” Ah Lo said. “ Ah Lo is 
a very quiet man, no want to have row. Men always keep 
on saying things against him. Ah Lo pretended not to un- 
derstand, then they get worse. Presently one man push 
against Ah Lo one side, and then take off his hat and say, 
‘ Beg pardon/ Then another push other side and say just the 
same. Then another man tumble against Ah Lo, then they 
all laugh very loud. Then Ah Lo say better look out, then 


26 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


they laugh again and push Ah Lo still more. That not proper 
treatment, so Ah Lo take two of them by scruff of neck and 
knock their faces together. Then other man run in, and All 
Lo think it is about time to begin and hit him on nose, quite 
a little hit, but made blood run very hard. Then the other 
men try again, and Ah Lo slap them, and they tumble down. 
That is all. Ah Lo very gentle and quiet, but not proper for 
men to go too far with him.” 

The captain laughed when Eex translated this. 

He said: “ Well, my men, it seems to me that what you 
have got serves you right. You thought because this China- 
man was quiet and inoffensive that you could play any tricks 
you liked with him. You have made a bad mistake. It is 
evident that he is an uncommonly strong fellow, and he has 
given you what you deserved. I should say it would be wise 
for you to leave him alone in future, because if this is his 
way of being very quiet and gentle it might be serious if he 
lost his temper with you.” 

“ Ah Lo is quiet and good-tempered,” Hex said, as the 
others went forward. “ One day when a couple of bargees 
upset a boat with some of our fellows in, Ah Lo took one of 
them and chucked him right out into the river. You never 
saw a fellow so astonished. But even then you would not have 
said that he was out of temper, for he looked as placid as 
possible, and only smiled when the fellow stood in the river 
and hurled bad language at him. He has been with me since 
I was a child, and I have never once seen him put out about 
anything.” 

From that time there were no more complaints of Ah Lo. 
The voyage passed, as most voyages do pass, without any 
particular incident. They had one gale in the China seas, 
but no serious damage was done except that a boat was 
washed away and the bulwarks stove in. Eex and Dick had 


THE BOXERS 


2 ? 

become great friends by the end of the voyage, and had prom- 
ised to see a good deal of each other when they landed. They 
were not sorry, however, when the voyage came to an end, for 
Rex was looking forward to seeing his father and mother after 
their long separation, and Dick to reviving his very faint 
recollections of the country, and to making the acquaintance 
of the other young fellows of the establishment, and to enter- 
ing upon serious work. They went ashore for a few hours at 
Hong Kong, and at Shanghai were transhipped to a compara- 
tively small steamer, in which they made the journey to 
Taku. As soon as the vessel dropped anchor Mr. Bateman 
came on board. He had known the date at which she was 
due, and had come down by rail on the previous day. 

“ Well, you are grown a big fellow,” he exclaimed, after 
the first greeting. “ Of course, I knew that you would have 
grown, but I did not expect to see such a big fellow as you 
are. Ah, Ah Lo, so there you are! I have heard capital 
accounts of you from my brother, and Rex has never failed 
to give news of you in every letter he wrote.” 

As soon as the first questions had been asked and answered 
on both sides, Rex said, “ This is Dick Chambers, father. 
We have been great chums on the voyage. He is coming 
out to Runciman’s house.” 

“ Oh yes, of course ! I know your father very well. I am 
glad you came out together. It must have been more pleasant 
for both of you. One of the clerks of your house is some- 
where about. He came down here to meet you, but I suppose 
he has not yet identified you.” 

An hour later all their belongings were got on shore, and 
a short time afterwards the train started. There was a great 
deal for father and son to talk about, and although the 
journey across the low flat country would have been consid- 
ered very slow in England, it seemed to pass rapidly. It was 


28 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


not until the next morning that Rex had time to talk of 
anything but England, and to ask about local matters. 

“ Things are very unsettled,” said his father. “ There are 
reports of massacres of missionaries at several places, but. 
these reports must be received with a great deal of suspicion. 
For myself I am not very much inclined to believe them; and 
they always have to pay so heavily for indulging in freaks of 
this sort that I should hardly think they would be so foolish 
as to repeat them. You see, the last murder of two German 
missionaries gave Germany an excuse for seizing the port of 
Kiaochow. That action has been in all respects unfortunate. 
The province is considered a sort of Holy Land by the Chi- 
nese, and they have consequently resented the seizure of that 
port very bitterly. Besides, naturally it seems an altogether 
preposterous price to pay for the murder of two foreigners. 
I am wholly with them there. Suppose two Chinese had been 
killed in Germany, what do you think the Germans would 
say if China were to demand as compensation Bremerhaven ? 
You only have to look at it in that light to see the mon- 
strosity of the affair. Why, after defeating China and 
taking Pekin and expending some millions of money, all that 
the Allies demanded was that five ports should be open for 
commerce; and yet Germany takes as her own a port, with 
the surrounding country, for the death of two missionaries. 
Still, even that gross act of spoliation would, one might 
think, hardly excite the people to rise against missionaries in 
general. I cannot believe that at the worst these are any- 
thing more than isolated outbreaks, and I believe they will be 
very severely punished by the authorities. Still, it may safely 
be said that there is not an Englishman alive, not even Mr. 
Hart, who really understands the Chinese, or who can predict 
what they will do in any given circumstances. They are 
very like children: they will bear desperate oppression and 


THE BOXEKS 


29 


tyranny with passive submission, and they will then break 
out furiously at some fancied wrong. 

“ We never really get near the Chinese. They live in their 
native city; we live in our own settlement. We draw what 
labour we require from them, it comes and it goes again ; but 
as far as the people are concerned, their ways, their talk, and 
their manner of life, we know no more of them than if the 
native town were situated in the moon. Their whole existence 
differs in almost every respect from ours. A Chinaman, if he 
is aggrieved by another, will go to the house of the man he 
has quarrelled with, and will cut his own -throat at the door, 
and public opinion demands that the other man shall also 
cut his. If a man commits a crime and bolts, they don’t 
trouble greatly to catch him. They simply inflict the punish- 
ment due to him on his nearest relative. I don’t say that the 
system doesn’t act well, for the ties of family are tremen- 
dously strong, and few Chinamen, indeed, would so utterly 
disgrace themselves as to allow -their fathers to be executed 
in their place. 

“ As to religion, it can scarcely be said that they have any 
except worship of ancestors. They have superstitions, but 
no real religion. They look at everything, in fact, in a light 
that differs directly from that in which we regard it. Every 
Chinaman will cheat in a bargain if he can, and only laugh 
if he is found out, for he has no shame whatever in conduct 
which he considers natural if no-t meritorious. But they 
have not the slightest fear of death. I do not know that they 
have the same fatalism as the Mohammedans, but practically 
it comes to the same thing. I don’t know whether you have 
heard in England about the Boxers ? ” 

“ Yes, I have heard something about them, but not 
much.” 

“ The sect has existed some two hundred years. It doesn’t 


30 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


seem originally to have had any very positive aims. Its 
members performed certain rites and certain exercises in a 
secret sort of way, but I fancy that is pretty well all that is 
known of them. It is really only lately that they have be- 
come at all prominent, and have gone in for recruiting their 
numbers to any extent. The whole basis of the association 
has been changed. It was formerly an association apparently 
without any political aims, and to some extent resembling 
our own freemasonry; and it has become an active, militant, 
and in a certain sense a national movement, directed princi- 
pally against foreigners, but also against the corruption of 
the Chinese Court and the terrible condition of the people in 
general. 

“ In one of their early proclamations they say the whole 
populace is sunk in wretchedness, and that all the officials 
are spoilers of their food. The condition of the Yamen is 
unspeakable. In every market and in every guild nothing 
can be done unless the officials are bribed. All sorts of exac- 
tions are made. They are all alike; ill-gotten wealth is their 
one object; right has disappeared from the world, and sins 
are unnumbered. In the Yamens it is of no avail to have a 
clear case ; unless you bribe, you will lose the day. All this is 
unquestionably true. After reciting these things the procla- 
mation then turns to foreigners. It says : 1 Greater calamities 
have overtaken the nation. Foreigners, devils come with 
their teaching, and converts to Christianity, Roman Catho- 
lics and Protestants, have become numerous. These are 
without human relations, but being most cunning they have 
attracted all the greedy and covetous as converts, and to an 
unlimited degree they have practised oppression/ 

“ The great impulse was given in Shan Tung in the north, 
but the movement spread like wildfire. At first the author- 
ities at Pekin were altogether hostile to it, but, seeing its 


THE BOXEES 


31 


increasing power, there can be little doubt that the Empress 
has secretly encouraged it, with the object, no doubt, of di- 
verting it from internal reform to hostility to foreigners. On 
the other hand, the more enlightened of the Chinese see the 
danger of the association. Several of the viceroys have 
taken measures against them, and General Nieh is preparing 
to attack them. The nine Yangtze viceroys are strongly 
opposed to the association. At present there has been no 
overt movement. It seems, as I said, true enough that some 
small missions in the interior have been attacked, but even 
this is unconfirmed. The cloud may blow over, or it may 
burst. I hope that in any case it will be confined to Northern 
China. If it extends over the whole country there can be 
little doubt that every missionary settlement in China will 
be wiped out, and the European settlements in all the mission 
towns will be attacked and their position become precarious 
in the extreme. 

“ As long as the movement is confined to the North it will 
be manageable. I do not say that the position of the Euro- 
pean inhabits of Pekin will not become one of terrible peril, 
and we here may get our share of trouble; but Pekin is com- 
paratively close to tjie sea, and although for a time the 
movement may have its own way, it will be only a repetition 
of the last troubles. A fleet of the Allied Powers could 
batter down the Taku forts and an army march to Pekin. 
They would have a battle or two to fight on the way, but they 
would defeat the Chinese with great slaughter, capture 
Pekin, and force the Empress to make terms. This will, to 
my mind, be almost assuredly the way things will go, unless 
the Empress takes firm ground, issues a proclamation de- 
nouncing the Boxers in the strongest terms, and orders all 
viceroys and generals to take prompt and energetic steps 
against them. I may tell you, however, that a considerable 


32 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


number of the British colony here do not share my views, 
and believe that the thing will die out. 

“ At any rate, for the present there is nothing to do but go 
on with our regular work, and see what comes of it. Your 
work will not be very heavy, for trade is nearly at a stand- 
still, and no one is getting fresh goods up from Shanghai. 
So you will have an easy breaking-in to work, which will 
give you an opportunity of looking up the few young fel- 
lows you knew before you left. There are, I think, only five 
or six who have not been home, but there are others who, 
being a few years older than you, went home before you 
and have since returned. There are, of course, some pleasant 
families here, and these I will give you an opportunity of 
knowing by having some of them to dinner every night this, 
week. In that way you will speedily get to feel at home in the 
place. I shall, of course, take you up to the club. You used 
to do a good deal of drilling with Ah Lo before you went 
away, and as you would no doubt like to keep up your rowing, 
you will have plenty of opportunities of doing so on the 
river.” 

For the next three weeks Rex had a very pleasant time. 
He spent the morning always in his father’s office, where he 
was instructed in the method of book-keeping employed, and 
in the general work of the house. Of an afternoon he either 
went with Ah Lo for a ramble in the native city or for a 
sail on the river, and sometimes played at cricket. Of an 
evening he either dined at home or at other houses, and at 
the end of the three weeks had made the acquaintance of 
almost all the British families in the settlement. Dick 
Chambers was generally at liberty in the afternoon and 
shared in the amusements. 

“ Stick to your amusements, Rex,” said his father. “ The 
great thing in this country is to take to outdoor exercise as 


THE BOXEKS 


33 


much as possible, and to make life go pleasantly when your 
work is done. I consider that for the next two or three 
years it will be quite sufficient for you to work here from 
nine till one, except on mail days, when you will find it 
necessary to stick at it all day. The more amusement you 
get out of your life the better I shall be pleased.” 

So Rex joined in all that was going on. He and Dick 
were at once enrolled in the volunteer corps that had recently 
been formed, and of which all the clerks and younger mem- 
bers of the firms there had become members as soon as there 
were signs of possible trouble. As the news from without 
became daily more serious, cricket was given up and the 
evenings were devoted to drilling and shooting. The latter 
was specially attended to. It was evident that so small a 
body of men could have small occasion for manoeuvres of 
any kind, but that individual shooting might be of extreme 
importance. Dick Chambers had been elected captain of the 
corps, as he had learned his work at Marlborough and was 
the best marksman of his year. 

“It isn’t much of a place for defence,” he said to Rex, 
“ but of course we shall have troops up from the ships ; and 
at any rate five-and-twenty of us, if we shoot straight, can do 
a good deal; and of course all the heads will join if necessary, 
though they may not think it worth while to do so now. 
There is no doubt that the news gets worse every day, and 
that there are large numbers of these Boxers all over the 
country. I think the Chinese general is really, as he says, 
hostile to them, but of course what he does when the time 
comes will depend upon what orders he gets from the Em- 
press, who is in every sense an unknown quantity in the 
problem. If he fights the Boxers, we sha’n’t have to; if he 
joins them, we shall all have our work cut out for us. In case 
of a row we may take it as certain that the population of 


34 


WITH THE ALLIES' TO PEKIN 


the native town will all join in, partly because, like the rest 
of them, they hate us, partly to get a share in the loot. I 
hear that some of the traders are getting alarmed, and are 
sending their goods down to the port to be shipped back to 
Shanghai by the first steamer that comes along. I don’t 
think that our people are going to do so.” 

“ I am sure my father will not,” Hex said. “ He thinks 
there is no doubt that we shall be able to defend ourselves 
with the aid of the force they will send up, and I believe he 
expects that they will send some troops up from Shanghai 
very shortly. Things may hang on as they are for some time. 
He rather calculates that a good many of the coolies who 
have been in the employ of the various houses for the past 
ten or twelve years will stand by us. I don’t think that any 
strong national feeling exists among them, and I believe they 
will stick to those who have paid and treated them well. I 
don’t mean that he thinks that they will fight, but they will 
throw up barricades and strengthen the godowns. In that 
way they would be of immense use.” 

“ It all depends, from what I hear,” Hick said, “ upon 
whether they have families in the town. Those that have 
will be obliged to leave us whatever their own feelings may 
be, otherwise their families would be massacred at once. 
Of course if a man has come from a distance with a wife 
and a child or two he will probably bring them in here, but 
those born and bred here who have lots of relations would 
have no option in the matter, poor beggars ! ” 

More alarming reports from up country continued to 
arrive, and the greatest anxiety began to prevail as to the 
fate of the missionaries. One morning when Rex went in to 
breakfast he found his mother in tears and his father looking 
very grave. 

“What is the matter?” he asked. 


THE BOXERS 


35 


“ There is a report in the town that there has been a riot 
at Chafui. The mission-house has been attacked, and cer- 
tainly some of the missionaries have been killed. Others, 
it is said, were taken to the governor’s Yamen. What has 
been their fate no one knows. It is certain that what troops 
there were in the town did not in any way interfere with 
the Boxers, and whether the governor had the power or the 
will to resist them is not known. Robson had no right to 
keep his wife and girls there. I wrote him again and again 
begging him to send them down here, but he is one of the 
most obstinate men I ever knew. If he liked to risk martyr- 
dom, of course he was at liberty to do so, but he had no right 
to expose them to such a fate. However, it is useless to talk 
of that now. It is maddening to think that Kate and the 
two girls should be in the power of these fiendish scoun- 
drels.” 

“ Can nothing be done, father ? ” 

“ What can be done ? ” Mr. Bateman said bitterly. “ It 
will be as much as we are able to do to hold our own here. 
The whole country round is in their hands, and it is very 
doubtful whether Admiral Seymour can, with every man 
that possibly can be spared, fight his way to Pekin, which is 
two hundred miles away. Certainly no force can be spared 
to rescue people who fall into the hands of the Boxers so far 
away.” 

Rex stood in silent consternation. He had not seen his 
uncle or any of the family since his return, but his aunt 
and the two girls had been staying some weeks at the house 
before he went away. “ It is awful ! ” he said at last ; “ and 
Uncle must have been mad not to have sent them down 
when the troubles began.” 

“ I think so, too, Rex. As for his staying himself it is 
different. He has a large number of converts there, and no 


36 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


doubt be hoped that his presence there would be some pro- 
tection. You see, one of the principal causes of the Chinese 
dislike for us is the missionary question. It is a religious 
question as much as a political one. The Chinese are in some 
things very superstitious. They worship to some extent the 
spirits of their ancestors, but for other religion they care 
but little. There is no ill-feeling between men of different 
religion here. No resistance was offered to the spread of 
Buddhism; the Taoists do not quarrel with those who are 
practically Confucians. But with Christianity it is different. 
The converts come under the protection of the missionaries, 
who have behind them the European powers, and conse- 
quently they are, to a great extent, independent of the local 
officials. The feeling has been greatly aggravated by France 
insisting that her bishops should have the rank of mandarins, 
and be judges over their native converts. All this has been 
a great mistake, for which we are paying now. I believe 
that our own missions have striven hard to avoid giving 
offence, and all missionaries in the up-country stations dress 
in native costume, for the Chinese regard dress as a serious 
matter.” 

While this conversation had been going on, Mrs. Bateman 
had left the room. 

“You had better sit down and eat your breakfast, Rex. 
You can give me a cup of tea; I could not eat anything now. 
Kate is very dear to me, and so are the girls. They were 
here twice while you were away, and stayed with us each 
time for some weeks.” 

“ I don’t remember much about the girls, father. The 
elder was three years younger than I, and was quite a child, 
and Mabel was two years younger still.” 

“ They were growing up very nice girls,” Mr. Bateman said 
sadly. “Jenny is now nearly fifteen and Mabel thirteen. Of 


THE BOXERS 


37 


course they had not the freshness of girls brought up at 
home, and I spoke to their mother when she was up here, and 
wrote to your uncle, urging that they should go home for a 
couple of years, and offering to pay all their expenses. He 
said that in another year he would take the matter into con- 
sideration.” 

Bex ate a few mouthfuls, and then went out into the court- 
yard. Ah Lo was sitting there. By his serious face Bex saw 
that he had heard the news. 

“This is a terrible business,” Bex began. 

“ A very bad business, master.” 

“ Is there anything to be done, do you think ? ” 

The Chinaman knit his eyebrows. “ What could be done ? ” 
he asked. 

“ That I don’t know ; but it is horrible to sit here and do 
nothing when my aunt and cousins are, if they are alive, 
prisoners, and may be put to horrible tortures before they 
are killed.” 

Ah Lo was silent. 

“ Do you think you and I could get there and try to rescue 
them ? ” 

The Chinaman’s eyes opened wide. “ Do you really mean 
that, young master ? ” 

“Yes; I do not see why we should not get there all right, 
though I don’t say that we could rescue them. We could 
both dress up as villagers, or as Boxers if you like, and as I 
speak Chinese as well as you do, I don’t see why we should 
not both make our way through. I could stain my skin just 
a little so as to get it just the right colour, and shave my 
head and put on a pigtail. 'Many Chinese wear spectacles, 
great things with thick rims.” 

“ Villagers do not often wear them, master, though the 
literati who wear their eyes out in staring at a book often 


38 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


do. You could not go as one of them, for you do not speak 
the same language.” 

“ Well, I should think that you might paint a little line in 
each corner of my eyes so as to make them look a little up 
and down like the Chinese eyes.” 

“ Ah Lo had better go alone,” the Chinaman said quietly. 

“Not at all,” Rex said. “My aunt and cousins are a 
great deal to me, they are nothing to you, and I certainly 
won’t let you go alone.” 

“ The master would never let you go,” Ah Lo said posi- 
tively. 

“ I don’t suppose he would ; but he would not know any- 
thing about it until I had gone. I should leave a letter be- 
hind telling him why I had gone, and that I was so 
disguised that I could pass for a Chinaman anywhere. I 
should say also that I know my chance of succeeding is not 
great, but that I consider the risk of being found out is still 
less. I should, of course, promise to take every precaution.” 

“ The master would never forgive me,” Ah Lo said. 

“ Oh, yes ! he would. I should say further that I had made 
up my mind to go, and that I told you that if you did not 
go with me I should go alone, which I mean to do. I am 
some months past sixteen now, and I think I can take care 
of myself, though I should feel a great deal more comfortable 
having you with me.” 


CHAPTER III 


IN DISGUISE 

TXT ELL, what do you think of it, Ah Lo ? ” 

" * “ If you have quite made up your mind, young master, 
I will go with you,” Ah Lo said quietly; “ if I return with 
you the master will not say much, and certainly if you do 
not return I shall not.” 

“Thank you, Ah Lo! Now, let us settle at once how we 
shall go, for every hour is of importance. Which do you 
think would be best, to go as villagers or as Boxers ? ” 

“ I think as villagers, master. We can go from village to 
village with the tale that we have been coolies working here, 
and that now there is no trade and no employment we are 
going to visit our family, who live near Chafui. We can 
carry with us clothes such as the Boxers wear, either red or 
yellow, so that when we get to Chafui we can put them on if 
we like. Of course we shall take swords and long knives.” 

“ I have the two revolvers my uncle gave me when I came 
away,” Rex said ; “ we can each carry one of them. As we 
shall say that we come from Tientsin, the fact that we have 
revolvers would excite no suspicion. If we are questioned 
we could easily say that we took them secretly from our em- 
ployer’s house when we came away from here. I have got a 
good stock of cartridges. Of course many of the Boxers are 
armed with good rifles, but would a villager be carrying 
them ? ” 

“ No, but a coolie from here might do so. Numbers of the 


40 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


Boxers have been killed near Tientsin, and there would be 
nothing improbable in the statement that as we left the town 
we had picked up two rifles. A good many rifles are still 
lying in the suburbs where the fighting went on; if you 
go out there this morning you might find a couple, for the 
streets are quite deserted, and then you might put them in a 
doorway where we could find them as we went along. You 
would also have to find some packets of cartridges. When 
shall we start, master ? ” 

“ If we can be ready to start to-night all the better.” 

“ There can be no difficulty about that. I know many 
native shops where I can get the clothes, and there are plenty 
of dead Boxers from whom I could take red suits. You could 
not get your head shaved here, but I will carry a razor and 
soap with me, and in the morning, first thing, will shave your 
head. I can buy a pigtail in the town, as many people who 
have not much hair use false pigtails, and I have no doubt 
that plenty of them are to be found in the empty shops in the 
native town.” 

“ Shall we require to take any food with us ? ” 

“ We can take enough rice for our journey, master, and we 
can get tea anywhere; but you will have to do without any- 
thing else.” 

“ That makes no difference at all ; I can do very well on 
rice, and I can take some of the condiments we use with it. 

' Even if we are searched, these will be as natural as the rice.” 

“ Is there anything else that you can think of, master ? ” 

“ No, I cannot think of anything else at present, but I 
shall see you again later, and can then fix on the hour for 
starting.” 

During the time when the danger was at its greatest the 
house had never been so silent, or the face of Mr. Bateman so 
grave. His wife was absolutely prostrated. This added to 


IN DISGUISE 


41 


the resolution the lad had taken. At whatever risk he might 
incur, his aunt and cousins must be rescued if they were 
alive when he reached Chafui, and it were within the limits 
of possibility to do so. He did not think that the journey in 
itself really involved any risk, and should he find that all had 
been massacred he had but to return. He knew how precious 
his life was in the eyes of his parents, and he resolved to 
take every means possible to avoid risk. Even if the news he 
brought back were of the worst, it would be better for his 
mother than the terrible anxiety that she was now suffering 
as to the fate of his aunt and cousins. 

In the course of the day he wrote a letter to his father, 
which ran as follows: — 

“ My Dear Father, 

“ When you receive this I shall be miles away. 
As you know, as far as talking goes, I can pass anywhere as a 
native; and as I shall be thoroughly disguised, I feel sure 
that with Ah Lo I could go right through China without 
being suspected. Seeing how terribly anxious my mother 
and you are about the safety of Aunt and the girls, I have 
made up my mind to go to Chafui to gather news of them. 
I am sure that it would be better for Mother to know even 
the worst than to suffer this terrible anxiety. I do not think 
I shall run any risk whatever. 

“ I must tell you that though Ah Lo is going with me it 
is very much against his will, because he thought that you 
would blame him if things went wrong, and it was only when 
I told him that if he did not go with me I should go alone 
that he consented to accompany me. It was not that he 
thought of the danger, but that he feared you would be 
displeased with him for undertaking this journey without 
your permission. I don’t think that I should have carried 


42 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


out the threat. Although I know the language well enough 
I do not know anything of the customs and the religion, and 
I felt that it would really be a hazardous enterprise if Ah Lo 
did not go with me. Now, however, that at last he has con- 
sented to accompany me, I have no fear whatever. 

“ I should have asked your permission to undertake this 
expedition, but I was afraid that you would refuse, and I 
felt so sure of being able to accomplish my purpose without 
difficulty that I decided to go without telling you of my 
intention. You see, Father, it is evident that after what is 
going on every white man in China will be in peril for a 
long time to come, and as it is settled that I am going to 
stay here for at any rate a good many years, I shall have to 
run risks, and those risks will be greater than any I am likely 
to meet with now that I am going in disguise. I am quite 
prepared for emergencies, so I hope that you will not be 
angry, though I know you will be anxious until I return. 

“ Ah Lo’s native village is only a few miles from Chafui, 
and his story that, as there was no longer work to be done in 
Tientsin, he was going for a time to see his friends is plaus- 
ible. Indeed, we shall probably stay there among his friends 
and learn all that has taken place in the town, so that every- 
thing will be easy sailing. You must not expect me back 
for about a month. It will take us ten days to walk to 
Chafui, ten days to stay at Ah Lo’s village and get full in- 
formation, and ten to return. That is as near as I can tell 
at present. There may be unexpected delays, but anyhow 
we shall not be back in less than a month. Should I find 
that I am likely to be much longer away, I shall, if possible, 
send one of Ah Lo’s people down with a message to you. 

“ Of course, Father, you can, if you think best, tell Mother 
where I have gone, and why, or lead her to believe that I 
have gone down to the coast to make arrangements with ships 


IN DISGUISE 


43 


that have arrived with goods for you, or to act as an inter- 
preter to the troops as they come up. 

“ I believe that if I had never gone to England I should 
not have thought of carrying out such a plan as this, but 
one gets to think for one’s self when one is at school. I feel 
sure that there was scarcely a fellow of my age there who, 
if he had the advantages in the way of speaking languages 
that I have, would not willingly have undertaken the job. 
Certainly I feel that the amount of risk to be run is very 
small compared with the importance of relieving Mother’s 
mind and yours, and, of course, though it is some years since 
I have seen my aunt and cousins, I, too, am very anxious.” 

That evening he felt even more than before that the pro- 
posed expedition was excusable, for his father said : “ I am 
terribly anxious, Rex. Your mother has been delirious all 
the afternoon, and the doctors are both feeling very anxious 
about her mind. You see, we have all gone through the 
strain of the last two months, and this blow coming on the 
top of it has had a very much greater effect than it would 
have had in ordinary circumstances. They think that if she 
had known for certain that her sister and the girls had been 
killed, the shock would have had less disastrous effects than 
this terrible uncertainty. It may be weeks, it may even be 
months, before the truth can be known and her mind relieved 
of the strain. They fear that when the present paroxysms 
have passed away she may settle down into a state of fixed 
melancholia, and if bad news came then it might simply 
deepen this melancholia, which would in that case become 
permanent.” 

“ It is indeed terrible, Father, but I hope that the doctors’ 
view is a mistaken one.” 

Mr. Bateman shook his head and passed his handkerchief 


44 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN - 


across his eyes, and if up to that time Hex had had any doubt 
that he was going to act wisely, he felt now that, even apart 
from his own anxiety about his aunt and cousins, he was 
fully justified by his mother’s state in carrying out his 
plan. 

At eleven o’clock that night he crept out of the house. He 
had dyed his skin with a mixture which Ah Lo had brought 
him, dressed himself in the native clothes, and put the sword, 
knife, and pistol in his belt. In a bundle he had three boxes 
of ammunition and the Boxer clothes, together with a pair of 
light boots to put on when there were no villages near, in case 
the Chinese shoes should gall his feet. Ah Lo was at the gate 
of the courtyard. He wore no disguise, but had put on coarse 
coolie clothes instead of those he wore as a trusted servant in 
the house. 

“Have you got everything, Ah Lo ? ” 

“Everything; ten pounds of rice, the box of clothes, the 
ammunition for the pistols, another bottle of the dye for your 
skin, some black dye for your eyebrows and eyelashes, and a 
little brown for the corners of your eyes. I have changed the 
piece of gold you gave me for dollars in cash, and I have got 
a pigtail and the razor and soap.” 

“ I have bought a small compass,” Rex said. “ It may be 
useful to us going across the country, for I know that the 
roads are mostly tracks between the villages and cross each 
other in all directions.” 

On leaving the premises they picked up Rex’s rifle and bag 
of ammunition, and the rifle that Ah Lo had bought during 
the day and had hidden away outside the settlement. Then 
they made a detour to avoid the native town, and, when once 
fairly beyond this, struck out across the fields. They made a 
long detour to avoid the encampment of Chinese soldiers, and 
then struck into a steady walk. 


IN DISGUISE 


45 


When a few miles from the town they saw fires burning, 
and made another detour to avoid these, knowing that they 
marked the position of parties of Boxers. They walked 
steadily all night, and in the morning reached a village, hav- 
ing made, as they calculated, at least thirty miles. Few 
people were about. Burnt cottages showed that the Boxers 
had passed that way and, as usual, had looted and destroyed 
everything they could lay hands on. Indeed, not being a 
regularly-organized body, they were forced to depend upon 
what they could take for subsistence, and were the scourge of 
the districts through which they passed. 

“ S° you are going to Chafui ! ” said an old man whom 
they had asked if there were any Boxers in the neighbour- 
hood. “ You will have to be very careful. Those who have 
been attacking Tientsin are still in that neighbourhood, but 
you may come across other parties marching down to join 
them. They are terrible people. If anyone refuses to give 
them all that they ask for, they will kill everyone in the 
house and burn it afterwards. They make most of the young 
men go with them to fight the whites in Tientsin. It is a 
terrible time. I can remember the Taiping rebellion, and this 
seems to me to be quite as bad. They all say that the Em- 
press is in their favour, but I cannot believe it. They tell 
terrible tales about the missionaries; but I lived for some 
time at Chafui, and it seemed to me that they were good and 
peaceful people, and although I stay so near Tientsin I have 
not till of late heard a word against the merchants there. 
They have indeed done much good for the town; they pay 
those who work for them well and do no harm to anyone. A 
son of mine worked for them for ten years, and came back 
with enough money to live comfortably all his life. He was a 
good son, and helped me as a son should do, but the Boxers 
killed him a month ago because he ventured to say that so 


46 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


far from doing harm the foreigners enriched the town and 
brought much trade into it.” 

“ I shall take care to keep my mouth shut when I get 
home,” Ah Lo said. “ I too have worked for them and found 
them good masters and just people, but after what you have 
told me I shall take care not to say a word in their favour.” 

“ You will be wise not to do so. And now you say you 
wish to sleep, as you have walked all night. You can lie 
down in the room upstairs; no one will disturb you. We 
used to be glad to question strangers who came along, for 
further news, but now our own troubles are quite as much 
as we can think of. I fear that this will continue until the 
last of the sea-pirates is killed; after that who can say what 
will happen ! ” 

After cooking the rice they had bought, and eating a meal, 
they went upstairs and slept for many hours. As soon as 
night fell they continued their journey, and on the seventh 
morning after starting they arrived within a few miles of 
Chafui. They had met with no adventures on the way. 
Several times they went into the fields and hid among grow- 
ing grain to avoid a party of the enemy, and once, just as 
they had arrived in a village, a band of Boxers came in, but 
they managed to slip out of the house unobserved and spent 
the night in the fields. 

They had agreed that they would not enter Chafui until 
they had first paid a visit to Ah Lo’s native village, where 
they would be able to learn the state of things in the town. 
They could then decide whether it would be best to put on 
their Boxer dresses or not. They had scarcely entered the 
village when Ah Lo was recognized. As one of his old friends 
shouted his name and a welcome, people ran out from all the 
houses to greet them, and by the time he reached his father’s 
door he was surrounded by a crowd of friends and neigh- 


IN DISGUISE 


47 


hours, and Kex understood for the first time how very close 
was the family bond in China. 

It was five years since Ah Lo had been there, and he was 
greeted as a wanderer returning to his parents, and bringing, 
no doubt, some of the proceeds of his labours. Indeed, the 
villagers had already benefited, for while he was in England 
he regularly forwarded a portion of his wages to his parents. 
Thus he bore a good name. He had never brought any 
trouble upon the village; he had never been called upon to 
pay a fine for his misdeeds; and his father and mother were 
considered fortunate people in having such a son. They too 
had come to the door, attracted by the loud talking outside, 
and their delight at his return was touching. 

When at last they had entered the house and closed the 
door the old man said: “ We have been uneasy about you. 
The message telling us of your return, and your welcome 
present, gave us at first great joy; but when, two days later, 
the disturbances began we trembled for your safety, and have 
offered up many prayers to Buddha to preserve you for us. 
But I see that things have gone wrong with you. Last time 
you came you were well clad, and all said truly, ‘Ah Lo is 
making his fortune’; but now your clothes are those of a 
common man.” 

“ I have so clad myself, Father, in order to escape plunder 
on my way with my friend here. He too belongs to the white 
merchant for whom I have worked so long. Like myself he 
wanted to escape from the city where there was such fierce 
fighting, and as trade was at a stand-still we had no difficulty 
in getting away.” 

“ He is welcome for your sake,” the old man said. “ If he 
is your friend, assuredly he is our friend also, and he shall 
share with us all we have, which, indeed, we owe chiefly to 
you. And have you come to stay with us for good, Ah Lo ?” 


48 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ No, Father, I have come to gather news, and that partly 
on business; so my pay is still going on. As you know, the 
missionary at Chafui is the brother of my patron — at least his 
wife is sister of my patron’s wife. News has reached him that 
there were bad doings at Chafui, and consequently he and 
his wife are greatly disturbed; so I said that I would come 
here and learn the truth of the reports that we had heard.” 

“ It is true,” his father said. “ The Boxers came to Chafui 
and stirred up the people of the town, and they ran together 
and attacked the praying-house and the people who have 
taken to the strange religion. The missionary fought hard 
when they attacked his house, but what could he and a hand- 
ful of his followers do against many hundreds ? The soldiers 
did not move to help him, and the house was taken and he 
was killed. The women of the family were carried to the 
governor’s yamen. It was reported that his wife has died 
from grief and terror, but I cannot say whether that is true; 
of her daughters I have not heard.” 

This confirmation of his worst fears was a terrible blow to 
Rex, who with difficulty restrained himself from bursting 
into tears. 

“ That is bad news indeed,” Ah Lo said gravely. “ It will 
be a heavy blow to my patron and his wife, and I myself am 
sorely grieved, as is also Shen Yo, my companion; for we 
have both seen the lady and her children when they have been 
staying at our patron’s house. They were good people and 
kindly, and assuredly never did anyone any harm.” 

“ They were well spoken of,” Ah Lo’s father said : “ no one 
had any harm to say of them. It was not until the Boxers 
stirred up the rabble of the town against these Christians that 
there was any disturbance here. It was always said that the 
governor was unfavourable to the Christians, but as they gave 
no cause of complaint things have always gone on quietly 


IN DISGUISE 


49 


enough, as the orders from Pekin always have been that they 
should not be molested. But for some weeks past we have 
heard reports that the Empress had turned her face against 
them, and that her counsellors were of opinion that these 
foreign people should be destroyed or driven from the 
country. We even heard that men were being drilled in 
Pekin; but people in general did not think much of these 
things until the Boxers grew numerous and began to create 
disturbances. Many of us were grieved, for the white people 
had shown much kindness and had given good medicines to 
people who were ill, and in other ways had done much good. 
But, of course, when the Empress and her counsellors had 
given the word to kill, no one would venture to withstand 
the Boxers and the rabble of the town. The governor knew 
the will of those in high places, and when word was sent to 
him of what was being done, he remained in his yamen and 
kept the soldiers quiet, so that no one dared to lift a finger to 
aid the whites. Many tales were told of their ill doings; how 
they stole little children and sacrificed them to their gods; 
but for myself I did not believe these things. We have always 
heard from you that the whites were good people, that they 
treated all natives well, and assuredly if you had heard of 
such doings as this you would not have remained with them. 
Therefore we did not believe these tales to their disadvantage, 
but we should only have thrown away our lives if we had 
ventured to express our feelings. Even in the village most 
people believed the tales, and said it was good that the 
foreign devils should be destroyed, so now that you have 
come back you must not speak in favour of these people or 
you will assuredly lose your life.” * 

“ I shall hold my tongue, Father. Who am I that I should 
disobey the orders of the Empress? Nevertheless, I tell you 
that these white people are good. Have I not lived among 


50 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


them for nearly four years? They are good people. Among 
them no one is ill-treated, or beaten, or put to death. None 
carry weapons; everyone respects the others. Although I 
was a stranger and a foreigner, no one molested me; I went 
and came as I chose. As to their offering sacrifices and 
killing children, the thing is absurd. They are anxious to do 
good to foreigners, and subscribe great sums to send their 
priests abroad that they may teach other people their religion. 
All these stories that are told about them are lies, and they 
have been told for the purpose of rousing ill-feeling against 
them. I am grieved that this trouble has come about, but 
assuredly it is no business of mine, except in so far as it con- 
cerns the friends of my patron. The ladies have stayed at 
his house, and they have spoken kindly to me and have given 
me money. I would do much for them for their own sake, 
as well as for that of my patron, who, as I have always told 
you, is the best man I have ever met. But I see that I can 
do nothing, and I can only grieve over the misfortunes that 
have befallen him. Of course I shall say nothing here as to 
my feelings, and shall even join in the cry against the for- 
eigners. I have no wish to throw away my life and to bring 
disgrace and death upon you and my mother.” 

“ That is right, Ah Lo. It would assuredly bring terrible 
misfortune upon you were you to say a word in favour of the 
Christians. There are many who share your feelings, but 
they dare not open their lips, and you too must hide your 
real sentiments. The order has come that the Christians 
must be destroyed, and that order must be obeyed. Most of 
the young men of the village have joined the Boxers, fearing 
that unless they did so evil would befall them. Now tell me 
something about the country where you have been living, and 
about these strange people, who are not content to live in 
their own island, but come here to turn the minds of the 


IN DISGUISE 


51 


people against their god and to bring trouble on the land. 
Are there many of them ? ” 

“ Very many; not so many as there are in China, but they 
are brave soldiers, and have arms altogether superior to ours. 
That, together with the way in which they are trained, gives 
them a great advantage over us. But though they can fight 
well, they do not wish to fight. They are great traders, and 
it is only when their trade is interfered with, or their people 
ill-treated, that they go to war. They have no enmity against 
people of other religions, and all the time that I was in Eng- 
land no one ever tried to turn me from my faith. No one 
said a word against Buddha, or interfered with me in any 
way. They think that their religion is right, just as we 
believe in ours, and they try to convert others, just as the 
Buddhists came to China and converted large numbers of our 
people. They think that they are doing good, and spend much 
money in trying to do so. It is strange to me that they 
cannot leave things alone, but it is their way, and certainly I 
have no ill-will towards them on that account. When my 
mother has got our meal ready, and we have eaten, I will 
tell you much about them and of the life that I led there; 
but the tale is so long that I dare not begin it fasting.” 

For two or three hours Ah Lo talked with his parents, and 
then went out into the village with Rex and chatted with the 
villagers. He learned a good deal as to the state of the 
town, and arranged to buy some vegetables, saying that he 
wanted to go in and see for himself what had taken place, 
and that he did not like going in empty-handed, as he might 
be ill-treated by the Boxers were he walking about idly. 

The great topic of conversation, however, was with regard 
to the fighting at Tientsin. Few particulars of this had been 
heard, and the villagers were astonished when they heard that 
the white devils had resisted all attacks upon them and had 


52 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


repulsed the Boxers with great slaughter, although the latter 
were no doubt much more numerous and had succeeded in 
destroying the greater portion of the town. Ah Lo, however, 
told his friends that the Boxers were still excited, and would 
no doubt renew their attacks with greater success, although 
some of the sailors from the ships were coming up to aid the 
whites. 

“ I was glad to get away,” he continued, “ for there was 
always shooting going on, and I feared that if the Boxers 
came in they would kill those who were in the employment of 
the whites. Most of these men managed to escape before I 
did, but I took the opportunity of the lull in fighting to escape 
at night.” 

It was not Until the old people had retired for the night 
that Ah Lo and Bex sat down to talk with each other. It 
had been a long and painful day for the lad; he had been 
compelled to appear at his ease, to answer innumerable ques- 
tions, and to support Ah Lo in his various statements. But 
when at last he found himself alone with his faithful servant 
he exclaimed ; u Thank God, Ah Lo, we can now talk and 
decide what is to be done! I feel almost mad at the news. 
It is bad enough to know that my aunt has died, but to 
think of my cousin in the hands of these fiends is enough 
to drive me out of my mind. Of course we must try to 
rescue them. How it is to be accomplished I have not the 
faintest idea at present, but I am quite resolved that if it is 
in any way possible it must be done.” 

“ I am ready to do what I can, master, but if they are in 
the governor’s yamen I do not see how we can manage to 
release them.” 

“No, nor do I; but there must be some way. There is 
always some way. Ah Lo, if one can but hit on it. I suppose 
the governor’s yamen will be guarded by soldiers \ ” 


IN DISGUISE 


53 


“ It is certain to be,” Ah Lo said. “ It would be in ordi- 
nary times, but now the watch is probably more strict than 
ever, because, although the governor has sided with the 
Boxers, it is probable that he is still afraid that they may 
attack him.” 

“ Well, to-morrow we must have a good look at the place. 
It is certain that there is no time to be lost, for these two 
poor girls may at any moment be murdered. We may take 
it as certain that there is no possibility of releasing them by 
force. The people here are evidently so completely cowed by 
the Boxers that it would be hopeless to get any of them to aid 
us in that way. We can do nothing until we see the place. 
I suppose you know it ? ” 

“Yes, there is a large courtyard in front of it, with a 
guard-house at the gate, and a wall runs across the court- 
yard just about the middle of the house. In the front part 
are the public offices, in the back the governor’s private apart- 
ments. Behind the building there is a large garden.” 

“ And it is probable that the prisoners are kept at the back 
of the house ? ” 

“ It may be so, master, but one cannot say. It is possible 
that the public may be permitted to stare at them, and in 
that case they might be in the front part of the house.” 

“ That doesn’t matter much. When we are in the town 
to-morrow we will go into the courtyard if the gates are open 
and the public are admitted ; if not, we must try some other 
means to find them. Now, from what you say, I should think 
that it is by the garden that we must effect an entrance. 
Though there may be sentries in front of the house, it is 
‘hardly likely that any will be placed in the garden. But if 
sentries are there we ought to have no difficulty in settling 
them. Once into the garden, we ought easily to effect an 
entrance by a door or a window. Then, of course, we should 


54 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


have to be guided by circumstances, for there will doubtless 
be a number of servants sleeping in the passages, and pos- 
sibly some soldiers. You are going to help me, aren’t you. 
Ah Lo?’ T 

“ Certainly, master ; I have come here to do so. My life is 
of little consequence to me. If it is my fate to die now T 
must die. Tell me what you want done and I will do it.” 

“ Thank you. Ah Lo ! I knew that I could rely upon you. 
If I could manage it by myself I would do so, but certainly I 
shall require assistance. We have to consider not only how 
to get the girls out, but also how we are to escape pursuit. Of 
course we shall need disguises, for there is sure to be a hot 
search, and the whole country will be scoured.” 

“ Well, master, we may as well sleep now. We can talk 
matters over when we go to the town in the morning. A 
couple of great baskets of vegetables will be ready for us in 
the morning, and we shall have plenty of time to talk over 
our plans as we go along.” 


CHAPTER IV 


A RESCUE 


V hour after dawn they started. Early as it was the 



vegetables had been cut and packed in three large 
baskets, and after paying for them they put the straps of the 
baskets across their foreheads and started. The loads were 
fairly heavy and although Ah Lo carried his without diffi- 
culty, Rex found the strap press very heavily on his fore- 


head. 


“ I was thinking it over in the night, master,” Ah Lo said, 
when they had gone a short distance. 

“ Don’t call me master, Ah Lo ; you know that we agreed 
that you should always call me Shen Yo.” 

“ I will try to do so. Well, I have been thinking it over, 
and I consider that if we succeed in getting the ladies away, 
we should at first go north. The search will be made for us 
chiefly on the roads to Tientsin and Pekin. The distance is 
about the same to both towns. They will scarcely suspect 
that we have gone north, and if we travel all night, hide in a 
rice-field during the day, and then again travel all night, 
we should be beyond the reach of searchers, and could then 
travel round to Pekin, which would, I think, be safer than 
Tientsin, where the Boxers will always be in numbers. Of 
course we must have disguises for the ladies. Their best plan 
would be to dress as boys. Chinese women do not travel 
about, and their doing so would at once give rise to sus- 
picion. We must, of course, get some stain to give them the 


55 


56 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


proper native colour. When we have turned our faces to- 
wards Pekin we must state that you and I are going to enlist 
in the Chinese army, that we have friends in Pekin, and that 
the boys are going with us to get any work they can. We 
can account for our guns by saying that we have obtained 
them from some of the Boxers who had brought them from 
Tientsin.” 

“Yes, we must stick to them if we can,” Rex agreed. 
“ As they are magazine rifles we ought to be a match for any 
twenty of these villagers or a dozen Boxers; and at any rate, 
if the worst came to the worst, we could be killed fighting 
and not be put to death by slow torture. 

“ I have been thinking too,” Rex added, “ that the best 
thing to do will be to set the house on fire. If we take in with 
us a large can of spirit, sprinkle it over everything in one of 
the rooms, and then spill a lot in the passage and set it all 
alight, the sudden alarm will create such a tremendous con- 
fusion and panic that we may be able to seize the girls and 
carry them off without being noticed.” 

“ That would be a very good plan,” Ah Lo agreed. “We 
shall have to carry a heavy sledge-hammer with us to break 
in the door of their prison, for they are sure to be locked up. 
A sentry will probably be stationed at their door, and of 
course we must stab him. If we set fire to the house, as you 
propose, we had better carry thick clothes with us to throw 
round them, as, in order to carry them off, we may have to 
run through the flames. The wrappings will protect them, 
and besides people won’t notice what we are carrying and 
will think that we are rescuing valuables from the flames. 
It will be well also, if possible, to seize porcelain jars or other 
valuables. I can carry the elder girl; and you can take the 
younger on one shoulder, and carry a jar or some other 
valuable on the other. We had better have cloaks and broad 


A KESCUE 


57 


hats, like those of the soldiers. There would be no fear, in 
the confusion, of anyone noticing our faces. 

“ I really think, Shen Yo, that we may be able to succeed. 
It did not seem possible at first, but I think now that with 
the aid of fire we may be successful.” 

“ I certainly don’t see why we shouldn’t,” Kex said. “ In 
such wild confusion as there would be, no one would notice 
anyone else. The great thing is to be quite sure where the 
girls are kept, and that we must find out to-day if possible. 
We will get rid of our vegetables as soon as we can, and then 
wander about with the empty baskets on our shoulders. We 
shall then see if people go in and out of the yamen. It is 
most likely that they will. Many will have petitions to make 
and some complaints to lay before the governor. Some, 
perhaps, will only go in to stare about. Possibly a little cash 
may induce one of the soldiers to point out the door of the 
room where the girls are confined, and that will be all that we 
shall want. When we have found that out we shall have to 
buy two suits of clothes for the girls, two cloaks and hats like 
those worn by the military, long lengths of rope for climbing 
the wall and getting down, a hook of some sort for catching 
the top of the wall, a sledge-hammer, a chisel for opening a 
door or a window, and a bottle holding a couple of gallons of 
spirit. Can you think of anything else ? ” 

“We must get some provisions and leave them at the 
bottom of the wall before we climb up, for we must not go 
anywhere to buy food for the first day or two after we start.” 

“Yes, that will certainly be a good plan.” 

When they approached Chafui they overtook some other 
peasants also carrying in vegetables, and, joining them, they 
entered the town together. Numbers of Boxers in their red 
jackets were in the streets, and a good many of the regular 
soldiers. The townspeople were moving about; some were 


58 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


laughing and chatting with the soldiers, others moved quietly 
about, evidently feeling by no means sure that the Boxers 
would not, before they left the town, plunder the houses. 

Bex and Ah Lo were not long in disposing of the contents 
of their baskets, and they moved nearer and nearer to the 
yamen as they did so, getting rid of a large number of their 
goods within a short distance of the gate. They sat down for 
a while near the gate of the yamen and watched the people 
go in and out of the courtyard. Then, approaching the gate, 
they laid their blankets down a short distance from the 
soldiers standing at the gate, and entered. No questions 
were asked, and, crossing the courtyard, they entered the 
house. They saw two soldiers standing at a door and went 
up to them. 

“ What do you want ? ” one of them asked. 

“ Can we see the little white devils? We have come a long 
way to have a look at them.” And he slipped a few coins 
into the man’s hands. 

“No, you can’t see them,” the man said; “the orders of 
the governor are strict. They won’t be here much longer; 
the governor expects a message from the viceroy to-morrow, 
and then we shall put an end to them. It might just as well 
have been done at first. If it had, we should have been 
saved the trouble of keeping sentry over them for the past 
week.” 

This was serious news, but they had seen all they required. 
There was a door between the private apartment and the 
public rooms. This was closed, and the room occupied by the 
prisoners was next to it. Having ascertained this important 
fact, Bex and his follower left the house, took up their 
baskets, and walked off. 

“I think that is as well as we could expect,” Bex said. 
“We may take it for certain that no sentries will be placed 


A KESCUE 


59 


in the private part of the house; so that if we enter on that 
side we can make our preparations and light our fire without 
fear of being disturbed. Now we had better take a turn round 
the place behind, to choose the spot where we will climb over, 
and see if any sentries are placed on that side.” 

The wall was about fourteen feet high, and there was a 
door at the back. All was quiet, and there was a piece of 
waste ground behind the garden. They examined the door 
carefully. 

u I think, Ah Lo,” said Rex, “ it will be better to cut round 
this lock, if we cannot force it, instead of climbing over the 
wall. That would take us time; while if the door could 
be opened at once we should run straight down the garden, 
close the door behind us, and make off without a moment’s 
delay.” 

“ It would certainly be much better,” Ah Lo agreed. “ We 
should have plenty of time to cut through the door after it 
gets dark. If we decide to do that we shall have to buy a 
saw and a tool for cutting a hole through which to thrust it. 
It would certainly be a relief to get rid of the ropes. We may 
as well get the other things at once, and then we can sit 
down in some quiet place, eat our food, and talk matters 
over.” 

When Ah Lo had bought all the various things they re- 
quired, they sat down with their backs against a wall. All 
their purchases were stowed in the bottom of one of their 
baskets, the other being put into it so that no one might see 
what they were carrying. 

“ Of course,” said Rex when they were seated, u it won’t be 
an easy job. In the first place, we have to make an en- 
trance ; I don’t think that there will be much difficulty about 
that. Then, you see, we shall have to light a fire in two 
rooms, one on each side, and as the flames rush out of the 


60 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


doors, we must open the door of communication. Probably 
it is fastened with a bar. There must be a sufficient blaze to 
cause a panic among the sentries. For a moment there will, 
no doubt, be a tremendous uproar, and anyone in the pas- 
sage or rooms will rush out. Then we must seize the moment 
to break in the door. If the sentries should keep their place, 
which I should think is very doubtful, we must throw our- 
selves upon them at once. The door once open, the rest will 
be easy; we shall have but to wrap the girls in the blankets 
and run through the fire with them. The critical moment 
will be that at which we open the door; we must make 
perfectly sure that the two sentries are taken by surprise. 
I have every hope that the place will be burnt down, and in 
that case it is likely enough that they will never give the 
captives a thought beyond concluding that they have been 
burnt to death. I think it would be a good thing to take the 
hangings from some of the rooms, roll them up into a bundle, 
and soak them with the spirit. Then, when we have taken 
down the bar and have the door ready for opening, we will 
light that bundle, so that when we open the door there will be 
a great blaze close to the men and at the same time they will 
see the flames from the rooms farther down the passage. The 
scare is almost certain to make them bolt, and we can then 
break in the other door. The noise will merely sound to 
them as if something on fire had fallen down, and we shall 
have got the girls out through the door before they can open 
the gate of the yard and call the sentries from the guard- 
house.” 

“ I think it ought all to go right,” Ah Lo agreed. “ Now, 
master, I think that I will go back again. I must see my 
father and mother and tell them that I have to go away on 
urgent business, for that I hear the Boxers are coming to our 
village in the morning to search for every able-bodied man, 


A RESCUE 


61 


and that, therefore, I must leave at once. What will you 
do?” 

“ Can we return to the back of this yamen without passing 
through the town ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Then I will go with you. We need not bring our baskets 
back with us; we can make the things up into a bundle. I 
would rather walk home with you and return than hang 
about here where I might be questioned.” 

Accordingly they again took their baskets on their backs 
and returned to the village, hiding their parcels before they 
entered. Hearing the news they brought, several young men, 
who had managed to escape the last search of the Boxers, at 
once made off into the country. Ah Lo and Rex remained 
with the two old people until dusk. The old people were 
much distressed to hear that their son had to leave them so 
soon. He promised to pay them a longer visit as soon as it 
was safe to do so, and having left a sufficient supply of 
money to last them for some time, he took a tender farewell 
of them and started once more with his companion. 

They arrived without adventure at the back of the yamen, 
and at once set to work on the lock, as it was now perfectly 
dark and the streets were already deserted except by parties 
of Boxers. In an hour they had cut round the lock, but 
then they found that the door was also held by bolts. It 
did not take them long, however, to enlarge the hole suffi- 
ciently for Rex to get his arm through and unfasten the 
bolts. They now waited until the lights in the house grad- 
ually disappeared, and then moved quietly up to it. They 
found, as they hoped would be the case, that the door of the 
house was unfastened. 

Having ascertained this, they waited another hour until 
they were sure that everyone was asleep. Then they entered. 


62 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


lit a lamp that they had bought for the purpose, and set to 
work. They soon piled mats and curtains near the doors of 
the rooms on both sides of the passage, and poured oil and 
spirit over them. When this was done they made up a roll 
six feet high and six feet long, and, saturating this with oil, 
carried it to the door. They then set a light to the great 
piles of inflammable materials in the two rooms. These 
flashed up instantly, and the flames came rushing through 
the doors. When they saw that the blaze had taken a good 
hold of the material they set fire to the bundle in the passage. 

As this blazed up they removed the bar and flung the door 
open. The two sentries gave a loud cry as they saw the 
flames rushing out at the end of the passage, and made a 
simultaneous rush for the front door. Running in, Rex and 
his companion found that the door of the girls’ prison was 
held by bars only. These they undid, and found to their 
satisfaction that the door opened, and that there was no 
occasion to break it down. 

The light of the flames was amply sufficient to enable them 
to see. The two girls lay in each other’s arms in one 
corner. 

“ It is all right, girls ! ” Rex cried. “ I am Rex, and I have 
come here to save you ! ” 

Then, lifting the girls to their feet, they wrapped the 
blankets round them. Each lifted one and sprang through 
the flames rising from the roll, and then through the sheet 
of fire at the end of the passage. When they reached the 
open air they released the girls from the wrappings, and, 
snatching up their rifles, which they had left leaning against 
the wall outside, ran down the garden. Once outside they 
felt that they were for the present safe. 

Already a babel of noises was arising from the yamen — 
shrieks of women and shouts of men. 


TTT 



REX RESCUES HIS COUSINS FROM THE BOXERS 























f 

























































* 



' 
























A RESCUE 


63 


“I hope the women won’t be burned,” Eex said. 

“ If they cannot get down the staircase they can jump 
from the windows,” said Ah Lo. 

“ Thank God, girls, that we have got you out ! We have 
some native clothes for you, but we must run for some little 
distance first; the fire will bring all the town out.” 

“ Are we dreaming? ” Jenny said. “ Can it be really you, 
Rex?” 

“ It is, dear ; you can seize me and shake me, to make sure 
that you are awake. Are you strong enough to walk ? ” 

“Yes, if I am really awake.” 

The younger sister, however, could scarcely stand, and Ah 
Lo caught her up and they at once started, Jenny pouring 
question after question into Rex’s ear as he hurried her 
along. When they were two or three hundred yards away 
they broke into a walk. 

“ Now we can go on steadily,” Rex said. “ We are abso- 
lutely safe till the morning, and by that time I hope we shall 
be a good many miles away.” 

When they had gone another mile Rex said: “We had 
better stop here and eat something, for we shall want all our 
strength for the journey.” 

“ But how did you come to be here, Rex ? ” 

“ Well, dear, we heard such terrible news of what was 
going on throughout the country that Ah Lo and I deter- 
mined to come out in disguise to see if we could be of any 
assistance to you. Of course we have heard all that has 
happened, so do not pain yourselves by talking about it at 
present. We have got stain for you to colour your skin, and 
the dresses of Chinese boys in which you must disguise your- 
selves. It would not do for you to be travelling as girls. We 
shall try to make our way to Pekin. Of course we shall have 
difficulties, but I trust that we shall get through all right. 


64 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


We intend to give out that we are going to enlist in the army, 
and we shall have to invent some story to account for your 
going with us. We have got rifles, so that if we should be 
interfered with by any small party we shall be able to give 
a good account of them. We have got you out more easily 
than we had expected, and no one is likely to notice that you 
have escaped. They will have more than enough to do if 
they wish to save the house, and I doubt whether they will 
succeed in putting out the fire, for I think we set the place 
pretty well alight.” 

Indeed, it was already evident that the fire had got a great 
hold, for, from the point that they had now gained, the 
flames could be seen leaping out of all the windows on the 
ground floor at the back of the house. The fugitives went 
almost at a run for another mile, and when they stopped and 
looked round, the yamen was in a blaze from top to bottom. 
Ah Lo now set Mabel on her feet, and the two girls threw 
themselves into each other’s arms and burst into tears. 

“ Now you had better eat something,” Bex said, after he 
allowed them a short time to recover themselves. “ Did the 
brutes feed you well ?” 

“We had enough to eat till to-day; they have given us 
nothing to-day, and we thought that that was a sign fhat 
the end had very nearly come.” 

“No doubt it was so. Now in the first place you must each 
eat and drink something.” 

“ I don’t feel as if I wanted anything.” 

“ Never mind, it is absolutely necessary that you should 
eat. We must get as far away as we can before morning, 
and unless you eat you won’t be able to walk.” 

The girls ate slowly at first, but as their appetites came back 
they managed to eat a hearty meal. While they did so Rex 
told them about the fighting at Tientsin, and the way in 


A KESCUE 


65 


which they had made their way into the yamen and set it on 
fire.” 

“ I can only just see the outline of your figure, Rex,” Jenny 
said, “ but you seem to have grown tremendously since I saw 
you last.” 

“ Yes, I have grown a good deal. Four years make a great 
difference at my age. You have grown a good deal too, Jenny; 
you were quite a small girl when I saw you last. How 
pleased my father and mother will be to see you both 
again ! ” 

“ Did they send any messages ? ” 

“No, Jenny, and for a very good reason. They did not 
know that we were coming. We stole off quietly in the night, 
for I was not at all sure that they would let me try if I asked 
their permission. I left a letter for them saying where I had 
gone, and that, as I had Ah Lo with me, I felt pretty sure 
that it would come out all right. You see, I speak Chinese 
nearly as well as he does, and there was no real reason why 
anyone should suspect that we were not what we looked. 
Now, dear, if you have finished we will go on.” 

They went for some ten miles before the day began to 
break. Ah Lo carried Mabel for the last five, for both girls- 
were weakened by the scenes they had gone through, the 
grief at the loss of their parents, and the fear as to their own 
fate. As day approached they went into a large field of 
standing corn, which rose some feet above their heads. 

“ Now, girls, you go on a few yards and then change your 
clothes. Here is the stain. You must dye your whole skin 
and darken your eyebrows, eyelashes, and hair. You know 
a great deal better than I do how your hair must be plaited 
into pigtails and wound up under these hats. I think you 
will find the clothes all right; they are just jackets buttoning 
up in front, and loose trousers. You can put on your own 


66 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


boots as long as we are walking in an open country and there 
is no one about, but when we are likely to meet anyone you 
must put on these Chinese shoes. After you have dressed 
yourselves you had better lie down and have a long sleep. 
We shall keep a look-out; but as we entered the field in single 
file, and raised the stalks after us, it is not likely that, even 
if the owner comes along, he will suspect that anyone is in 
hiding here. Before you try to go off to sleep you had better 
eat another meal.” 

“ Are we on our way to Pekin, Rex ? ” 

“ No, we have come north so far; for if a search is made it 
will be in the direction of Pekin or Tientsin. I do not think 
it at all likely, however, that they will trouble to look for us. 
They will not give you a thought at first; and when they do 
think of you the place will be in such a blaze that they won’t 
be able to get at your room, and will certainly conclude that 
you have perished in the flames. The only possible ground 
for suspicion will be that the door at the end of the garden 
may be found open; but no one may think of going round 
there for some days, and at the worst they will but fancy that 
robbers broke in there, and, while plundering the rooms, acci- 
dentally set the house on fire. At any rate, long before the 
idea can occur to them that it was an attempt to rescue you, 
we shall be a hundred miles away.” 

The day passed quietly. Ah Lo and Rex in turn slept and 
watched near the edge of the corn. Men could be seen 
working in some of the fields, but no one approached the edge 
of the field in which they were hidden. Late in the after- 
noon the girls joined them, looking their character so well 
that even Ah Lo said that he would not have suspected them 
of being anything but what they seemed. A hearty meal was 
then eaten, and an hour after dark they started again, this 
time making towards the east. They passed through many 


A RESCUE 


67 


small villages during the night, and walked, they calculated, 
over twenty miles, Ah Lo, as before, carrying Mabel the last 
seven or eight miles. Again they hid during the day, and in 
the evening turned their faces towards Pekin. Their stock 
of provisions was now exhausted, and the next day Ah Lo 
went into a village and brought a fresh supply. 

They met with no adventure until they were half-way on 
their journey, when one evening as they were passing through 
a village, the door of one of the houses opened and three 
men whose dress showed them to be Boxers came out. 

“ Hello ! ” one of them said, “ who are you ? ” 

“ We the travellers,” Ah Lo replied. 

“ What makes you travel so late ? ” 

“ We are anxious to push on to the next village.” 

“ Come in here and let us have a look at you,” one of 
them said. 

“ Shall we go in, master ? ” Ah Lo said in a whisper. 

“ Yes, you had better; there is a large party of them. You 
go on, girls; stop by the side of the last house in the village 
on the right-hand side.” 

Rex and Lo then followed the men into the house. 
Inside were nine others, several of them smoking. “ Now 
where are you going to?” demanded the Boxer who had 
before spoken, and who was apparently the leader of the 
party. 

“We are going to enlist in the army.” 

“You had better join us. I see you have a good gun; 
where did you get it from ? ” 

“ I got it from some men who were fighting* at Tientsin 
and returned home wounded.” 

“ Well, you will get others there,” the man said; “ you had 
better hand them over to us. You must stop here for he 
night and go on with us. It appears to me that there is 


G8 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


something suspicious about you. Where are the two boys 
who were with you % ” 

“They have gone on. I told them to.” 

“ Two of you run after them and fetch them back,” the 
man said angrily. 

Ah Lo and Rex both unslung their guns from their 
shoulders as if to hand them over. They were still standing 
in the doorway, and Ah Lo shoved one of the Boxers, who 
tried to pass him, and sent him staggering backwards. The 
captain, with an exclamation of fury, drew his sword. Ah 
Lo dropped his rifle against the man’s chest and fired. The 
others at once sprang to their feet. 

“Don’t throw away a shot!” Rex exclaimed. “Now it i3 
begun we must finish them,” and he shot down the man 
next him. “ Step back outside the door, then only one can 
get at us at a time.” 

The rifles rang out again, and three more of the Boxers 
fell. The others, seizing their arms, rushed in a mass to- 
wards them. 

“ Fire by turns, Ah Lo,” Rex said as he fired, and then 
drove the muzzle of his rifle with all his force into the 
chest of the next man coming at him; the man fell as in- 
stantaneously as though he had been shot. Two or three of 
the Boxers were armed with guns, and these attempted to 
press forward so as to be able to use them. Rex’s thrust had 
cleared the crowd a little back, and Ah Lo shot one of the 
men with a gun as he pressed forward. Almost at the same 
moment one of the others fired, and the ball passed along 
Rex’s arm and came out in the shoulder. With a howl the 
man rushed forward again. Rex and Ah Lo fired at the same 
moment. There were now but four Boxers left, and these 
charged before they were ready to fire again. Ah Lo clubbed 
his musket; Rex, as before, used his gun as a spear, and as a 


A KESCUE 


69 


Boxer rushed at him with uplifted sword, caught him full in 
the chest. 

“ Hold the door while I load. Ah Lo,” he said. 

It took but a couple of seconds to discharge the cartridge 
and reload and close the breech, and then Bex shot one 
assailant just when Ah Lo struck down another. The last 
man threw down his weapon, but Ah Lo’s blood was up, and 
knowing that none of the party must be allowed to get away, 
he brought the butt of his musket down with all his 
strength upon the man’s head. 

“ That has been sharp work, Ah Lo,” Bex panted. “ Now, 
we must be off.” 

“ I don’t think they are all killed,” Ah Lo said. 

“Well, most of them must be, and certainly none of the 
others can be in a position to take up the pursuit. We had 
better not wait another moment, or we shall have the villagers 
out on us.” So saying he started to run. 

“ I will run,” Ah Lo said, “ but there is no fear that the 
villagers will come out. When they hear the firing they will 
think that the Boxers are quarrelling among themselves, 
and certainly no one will venture out to see about it.” 

They found the girls waiting at the appointed place, and 
they gave a cry of joy as Bex ran up. 

“ What has happened ? ” they asked together. 

“ The Boxers were nasty and were sending two men off to 
catch you, so we stopped them, and we had a tough fight, but 
none of them got away.” 

“ How many were there ? ” 

“ Twelve.” 

“ And you killed them all ? ” 

“We shot eight of them. Ah Lo broke the skulls of two, 
and I knocked the wind out of the other two. Whether I 
killed them or not I do not know, but it is quite certain that 


70 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


they cannot be in a fit condition to take up the pursuit. We 
can now go on again; only for the rest of the journey we 
must avoid villages. 

“ You needn’t grieve for the Boxers,” he said, as the girls 
uttered an exclamation of horror at what he had said. “ As 
likely as not they have come from Chafui; but if not, no 
doubt they have taken part in some of these massacres and 
were making for Tientsin to join their fellows there.” 

“ Oh, how could you do it, Bex ? I am not sorry for the 
Boxers a bit, but it is wonderful that you two should have 
killed twelve of them in two minutes; I am sure the firing 
did not last longer than that.” 

“ It was quick work certainly, J enny ; but with these 
breech-loaders one can fire all the shots in a magazine in less 
than a minute, and at such close quarters there was no possi- 
bility of missing one’s aim. If there had been a few more of 
them we should probably not have succeeded so well, for our 
magazines were nearly empty when we had finished. Still, 
holding the door as we did, so that only one man could really 
get at us at once, I think we should have given a good account 
of ourselves even if there had been five or six more.” 

They made an unusually long journey that night; the 
girls would not hear of stopping, although Bex assured them 
that there was no chance of being overtaken. When day 
dawned they were more than usually careful in hiding them- 
selves among some very high grass. Bex and Ah Lo took 
turns to watch all day, but to their satisfaction they saw no 
one hurrying along the road as if carrying a message of im- 
portance. 

“ I did not expect to see one, ” Ah Lo said ; “ the villagers 
will be frightened out of their lives when they venture out in 
the morning and see what has happened. I think it likely 
that they will at once bury all the bodifes, for they will be 


A RESCUE 


71 


afraid that should a party of Boxers come along and see 
what has taken place, they would plunder and burn the 
village and kill all the inhabitants. No, I do not think there 
is any fear that the alarm will be given.” 

They continued their journey tfhus till they were within 
fifteen miles of Pekin. Here the road was no longer unfre- 
quented during the day, bands of armed men and Boxers 
frequently passing along. The next day they made ten miles 
and then lay down to sleep. Soon after daybreak natives in 
carts, with vegetables and grain, came along. As soon as 
they had passed, the fugitives issued out, and presently over- 
taking one of the parties journeyed on in company with 
them until they reached the gates of the city. They wan- 
dered about for some hours before they found the quarter 
where the Legations were situated, for they did not like 
to ask directions, as that would have shown that they were 
strangers in the city. They came at last to a building where 
two marines were keeping guard. From these they heard 
that the British Legation was in the next street, and soon 
they were gladdened by the sight of an English uniform. 

They were stopped by the sentries, but on Rex saying in 
English that they were fugitives from one of the missions 
that had been destroyed they were allowed to enter. 

The Legation stood in a very large enclosure which had at 
one time been a palace belonging to a member of the im- 
perial family. The gardens were charmingly laid out, and it 
contained several courtyards, each surrounded by buildings. 

They were conducted by one of the servants of the Lega- 
tion to the house of the minister, Sir Claude Macdonald, 
and upon Rex sending in their names they were at once 
admitted. 

“ We have made our escape, sir,” Rex said, “ from Chafui, 
where the mission has been destroyed and all save these two 


72 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIH 


young ladies, daughters of the missionary in charge, mur- 
dered. I myself am the son of Mr. Bateman of Tientsin. 
These young ladies are my cousins, and with the aid of this 
faithful Chinaman, who has for many years been in my 
father’s service, I have succeeded in rescuing them from the 
hands of the Boxers.” 

“ I congratulate you indeed, sir. A considerable number 
of fugitives have already arrived here. I will hand the 
ladies over at once into the charge of Lady Macdonald, who 
will see that they are well cared for.” 

He rang a bell and told a servant to take the girls to Lady 
Macdonald, and then turned again to Bex : 

“We had heard reports of the massacre at Chafui, and 
were afraid that all had perished. I shall be glad to know 
how you and these young ladies escaped ? ” 

Bex gave a brief account of the incident. 

“I congratulate you most warmly on the success of your 
enterprise, and on the courage you displayed in undertaking 
it and carrying it out. It certainly seemed, on the face of 
it, to be a most mad-brained attempt, but it has been amply 
justified by the success that has attended it. 

“ Our position here is very precarious, and although the 
court continue to give us assurances of the most friendly 
intentions, we have the best grounds for believing that the 
Empress and her advisers are bent upon our destruction. 
However, we are making' every preparation for defence, and 
believe that we shall be able to hold out until assistance 
arrives. What are your own intentions ? ” 

“ My intentions, sir, are to make my way at once down to 
Tientsin. My parents cannot but feel the most lively 
anxiety as to my safety, and my first duty is to go back to 
relieve their suspense. If any expedition is sent up here to 
your relief, I shall hope to accompany it in some capacity. 


A RESCUE 


73 


I can speak Chinese like a native, and may be useful as an in- 
terpreter. I shall, of course, leave my cousins here if you will 
kindly permit them to stay, for although with my Chinese 
follower I might make my way without difficulty through any 
bodies of the Chinese who may be on the road, I could hardly 
do so if I were accompanied by two girls, however well they 
might be disguised.” 

“Certainly not,” the envoy said; “that would be quite 
impossible. There are, we know, a considerable number of 
the Chinese between us and Tientsin. They have already 
torn up the railway, and although my messengers do get 
through, direct communications are entirely interrupted. 
Still, as you have made the journey from Chafui here 
without difficulty, I should think that you might manage to 
accomplish the journey to Tientsin safely. Of course you will 
remain here a day or two. One of the members of my staff 
will lend you a suit of clothes.” He touched the bell. 
“ Send Mr. Sandwich here. He is one of the student inter- 
preters,” he said, turning again to Kex, “ and is about your 
own height; and I have no doubt that his things will fit you 
well. I shall be glad if you will dine with me and afterwards 
give me more detailed accounts of your adventures.” 

In a few minutes the young man made his appearance. 
“ Mr. Sandwich,” Sir Claude said, “ I will hand over this 
gentleman, who has just arrived from Chafui, to your charge. 
He will only be staying here for a day or two, for he is 
going to try to make his way down to Tientsin. I shall be 
obliged if you will lend him a suit of clothes while he stays 
here.” 

“ Certainly, I will do all I can to make him comfortable.” 

“ I should be obliged, sir,” Kex said, “ if you yould allow 
a surgeon to dress my arm. A bullet entered just above the 
wrist and ran up to my shoulder. I think the wound is 


n 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


going on all right, but it is rather painful, and I should be 
glad to have it dressed properly.” 

“Certainly, I will send our doctor to the college at once. 
He will be there almost as soon as you. You did not tell me 
that you had been hit.” 

“It is not a serious wound, sir; the bullet only just went 
under the skin, and I fancy that when it has once been 
properly dressed it will give me no more trouble.” 

“You are well disguised,” Sandwich said as he left the 
room with Rex. “ I am sure that I should not have had 
any suspicions, however closely I inspected you. How did 
you manage to get here from Chafui?” 

“ I speak Chinese like a native. I was born in Tientsin, 
and was sent home to England four years ago; but as my 
father was most anxious that I should keep up Chinese, he 
sent with me one of the coolies who had always been my 
special servant, and so I came back speaking it as well as 
when I went.” 

“We heard that there had been a massacre at Chafui.” 

“Yes, I managed, with the aid of my man, to rescue my 
two cousins, who are the daughters of the missionary there. 
I was just in time, for they were to have been murdered on 
the following day.” 

“ But how was it that you were not murdered yourself ? ” 

“For the simple reason that I was not there when the 
massacre took place. The news of the massacre came to us 
at Tientsin, and I set off with my man to see if any of them 
had survived and if possible to rescue them. This we 
effected by setting fire to the governor’s yamen, where the 
girls were confined, and carrying them off in the confusion 
that ensued. The only adventure we met with on the road 
was that we were interfered with by a party of a dozen 
Boxers. We had a fight with them; but as we had breech- 


A RESCUE 


15 


loaders, and they were jammed up in a room, we had no 
difficulty in disposing of them all.” 

“ By Jove, that was a plucky thing,” Sandwich said; “ and 
so you are going off again ? ” 

“ Yes, I am in a hurry to get back to my people, who must 
be in great anxiety about me.” 

“ Well, this is our college,” the young man said, stopping 
before a building of some size. “We are all trained here for 
the Chinese Consulate service. I will take you to my room 
first and rig you out. We shall be having a meal directly, 
and then I can introduce you to the fellows, when I promise 
you a hearty reception.” 

Half an hour later Rex went down in a suit of white 
clothes to the dining-room. He had already asked Sandwich 
to hand over Ah Lo to the proper quarter, where he could 
get rations and lodging. He was introduced to eight or ten 
young men who were studying at the college, and, after the 
meal was over, related the story of the rescue of his cousins. 
The narrative excited great interest, and he was warmly 
praised. 


CHAPTER V 


with Seymour's column 

rjIHAT evening after dinner Rex told the envoy in full 
the story of his adventures. The chiefs of two or three 
other Legations were present, and all expressed great surprise 
that a mere lad should have carried out so desperate an 
undertaking. 

The next morning the doctor called to see Rex. 

“ You are thinking of going down at once, are you not? ” 

“ Yes, sir.” 

“ Well, I have come in to tell you that your cousins cannot 
possibly go with you. Their recent experiences have been a 
terrible strain on them, and as a result of the reaction, both 
are completely prostrated. The younger one is very feverish, 
and is, I expect, in for a sharp illness.” 

“I am very sorry to hear dhat, sir, though I cannot say 
that I am surprised. They have held on very well, but they 
were weak when they started, and throughout the journey 
they have had no chance of picking up strength. I was 
afraid that they would break down before they got here. At 
any rate I shall run down to Tientsin to see my father and 
mother, who are no doubt suffering great anxiety, and shall 
then, I hope, be able to arrange to come back for them. I 
suppose I can see them before I start ? ” 

“ Certainly, but the shorter your visit the better. You 
may be quite sure that they will have every attention here. 


76 


with Seymour’s column 


77 


I don’t think there is any reason for being uneasy about 
them. It is the natural reaction after the strain, and I hope 
that in another fortnight or so they will be able to travel. 
I will go across with you to their room now.” 

Rex at once went over. 

“I have come to say good-bye, Jenny,” he said, as he 
entered the shaded room in which his cousins were lying. 
“ The doctor says that you won’t be fit to travel for another 
fortnight, and you know I must run down to see my father 
and mother, who will by this time be in a great state of 
alarm about you. I shall be back for you, and I hope if I 
come at the end of a fortnight I shall find you both in a fit 
state to go. If you are not, I shall wait till you are. Good- 
bye, dear ! ” 

“ Good-bye, Rex ! Of course you ought to go to Tientsin, 
and we shall look forward to your return. Thank you a 
thousand times for all that you have done for us, and thank 
Ah Lo too!” 

Mabel was lying with her eyes half-closed and her cheeks 
flushed with fever, and Rex, seeing that it was of no use 
trying to rouse her to say good-bye, kissed Jenny and went 
quietly out of the room. 

“ I shall keep your clothes until I come back again, Sand- 
wich,” Rex said when he was taking leave of his friend. 

“You are perfectly welcome to them if you don’t bring 
them back,” the other laughed. “ I have any number of 
suits, and if trouble comes on we shall not be particular 
about washing.” 

“ I expect I shall be back before long, for if there is a row 
here I should like to be in it.” 

Rex and Ah Lo went to the railway-station in time for 
the train which started at ten o’clock. Several merchants 
and others were going down also. The journey was a tedious 


78 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


one, for the train travelled slowly and stopped frequently. 
It was just breakfast-time next morning when they arrived. 
Rex walked in unannounced just as his father and mother 
were sitting down to* breakfast. They leapt to their feet with 
cries of surprise and delight. 

“ I cannot blow you up now, Rex,” his father said after the 
first joy of the meeting had passed, “ but it was the maddest 
thing that I ever heard of. I am too glad, however, at your 
safe return to scold you. We were beginning to lose all hope 
of your return. We thought you might get to Chafui, and 
of course it was a great satisfaction that you had Ah Lo with 
you; but when you found that everyone had been massacred, 
what prevented you from returning at once ? ” 

“ The fact, Father, that I found that they were not all 
massacred. My uncle and aunt had both fallen, but the girls 
were prisoners in the governor’s yamen. It was a close affair, 
for they were to have been given to the Boxers to be mas- 
sacred the very next day. We got them out, however, and 
took them safely to Pekin, and they are at present staying at 
the Legation.” 

“You have saved the dear girls!” his mother exclaimed; 
“that is indeed good news. But where are they?” 

“ They are at Pekin, Mother. They bore up splendidly 
until they got there, and then they broke down, and the 
doctor said that they would need careful treatment and rest 
before they could be moved. So I ran down here to tell you 
of my safety, and am going back again in a few days to bring 
them home. I will give you full particulars when I have got 
into my own clothes and had some breakfast. We brought 
a good stock of provisions with us, but finished the last 
morsel yesterday afternoon. It has been a tremendously 
long journey, and, as you may imagine, I am pretty peckish. 
Before sitting down, however, I will run upstairs and change, 


with Seymour’s column 


79 


for I must have a wash before eating. I shall be down 
again in ten minutes.” 

He soon returned, and his father and mother asked no 
questions until he had finished breakfast, except that his 
mother asked how he had left the girls. 

“I think they will both be better for a rest, Mother,” he 
said. u They both look fagged, which is not to be wondered 
at, considering all they have come through, but they are a 
good deal better than when I first saw them.” 

As soon as breakfast was over, and before he questioned 
Rex further, Mr. Bateman sent for Ah Lo. 

“ Ah Lo,” he said, when the Chinaman came in, “ you did 
wrong to aid my son to carry out this enterprise. However, 
as it succeeded so well I cannot blame you, and indeed must 
thank you heartily for having carried Rex safely through 
the matter.” 

The Chinaman smiled. “ I think it is the other way. Mr. 
Rex carried me through the affair. He always told me what 
to do; I did just so and it came out all right.” 

“ Well, I shall not forget the great service you have ren- 
dered us.” Ah Lo bowed and went off. 

“ Now then, Rex, give us an account of your doings, for at 
present I cannot imagine how you managed to get the girls 
out from the governor’s yamen.” 

It took Rex more than an hour to relate his adventures, 
for he was very frequently interrupted by exclamations and 
questions from his father and mother. 

“ It was a wonderful rescue,” his father said, when he had 
brought that part of the story to a close. “ It seems simple 
enough as you tell it, but I really can hardly imagine how 
the plan occurred to you. There the girls were shut up in 
the strong house of a governor, with sentries over them and 
a guard but a few yards away. It was a problem that might 


80 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


have puzzled the sharpest brain, and it was carried out with- 
out the slightest hitch. It does you extreme credit, Rex, 
and I feel proud of you. Well, go on with your story.” 

There was a fresh outburst of surprise when Rex related 
the fight with the twelve Boxers. 

“ Well, my boy,” Mr. Bateman said when Rex brought his 
story to an end, “ after that you can be trusted to go any- 
where, and I don’t think your mother or I will in future feel 
anything like the same anxiety concerning you as we have 
experienced this time.” 

* “ And now, Father, how do matters stand here at present ? ” 

“ Things are quiet. A good many sailors have come up, 
and although a large number of the rebels are still round the 
town, we have no fear whatever that they will be able to take 
the place.” 

“ I think the fighting will be pretty hard work, Father, 
if, as I think there is little doubt, the Boxers attack in 
earnest. But what are the regular Chinese troops going 
to do?” 

“ I think the envoys still hope that they will stand aloof ; 
but as far as I have learned, the general opinion is just the 
other way. The Empress and her ministers profess that the 
Boxers are a peaceable people who only desire well for the 
empire. They have issued a few shilly-shallying edicts, 
which can he read both ways, but it is generally believed that 
the Boxers have been put in the foreground because the 
Empress thinks they are more than sufficiently strong to 
destroy the Legations and kill every white and native Chris- 
tian in the country. She doesn’t want the responsibility. 
Before Europeans she can, if she chooses, disavow their 
actions, while at the same time professing her inability to 
control them, and declaring that as the will of the people is 
that no white men shall henceforth live or trade in China 


with Seymour’s column 


81 


she must bow to their wishes. Many think, therefore, that 
if the Boxers can do the work alone they will be allowed to 
do it; if not, the Imperial troops will join them. 

“ It is quite certain that an enormous number of native 
Christians have been massacred in various parts of China, 
and I have heard that some have been murdered in Pekin 
itself. I hope that enough troops will be collected to go up 
before long. Troops have come in from all directions, but I 
am afraid it will be at least a couple of months before 
anything like an army can be moved forward. From the 
ships now here probably only two thousand men could be 
spared for the purpose.” 

“ I doubt whether that would be enough. Father. There 
are hordes of Chinese between this and Pekin, and a large 
number of them are armed with the best rifles. They have 
breech-loaders of all sorts, and you know we must do them 
the justice to say that they fought bravely enough round 
here. I fancy they will fight even better to prevent us from 
getting to Pekin.” 

“ It is by no means certain, Bex, that in the first place we 
shall not have to fight on for our own existence. Great 
numbers of Boxers and other ruffians throng the town, and if 
they know their own business they will not be fools enough 
to allow an army to gather here at all. As to the Taku 
Forts, I believe they will be taken just as easily as they 
were last time. Still, the larger vessels cannot come up the 
river, and the smaller ones will probably have to be escorted 
up by troops. They will doubtless be opposed fiercely, and 
not improbably we shall be attacked here at the same time, 
in which case we may have to fight hard.” 

“ All right, Father ! I should like it all the better. Know- 
ing, as we do, how they have massacred hundreds of mis- 
sionaries and their families and many thousands of native 


82 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


Christians, we shall feel a real satisfaction in fighting these 
fiends.” 

“And yet, Rex, a good deal of allowance must be made 
for them. You must remember that China has always been 
an exclusive country, and that the Chinese appear to have 
an ingrained hatred of foreigners. To begin with, we come 
here because they don’t want to buy our opium, and we fight 
them and compel them to open Chinese ports to trade. Well, 
the Chinese are not fools, and as long as it was only a ques- 
tion of trade they might put up with us, seeing that they 
obtained as much advantage from trade as we do. This, 
however, was not enough. We invade them with a vast 
crowd of missionaries, who settle themselves in all parts of 
the country, build themselves houses and churches, and set 
to work to convert the Chinese. Naturally the Chinese don’t 
like it. Certainly we should not like it ourselves if hundreds 
of Chinamen were to settle down in all our towns, open joss- 
houses, hold out all sorts of advantages to proselytes, and 
convert the lowest and most ignorant class of the population 
to Confucianism or Buddhism. But this is not all. Mission- 
aries take the converts under their protection, set up a little 
imperium, demand the right to judge and punish their own 
people, and generally to set the local authorities pretty well 
at defiance; and the Catholic bishops have actually insisted 
upon having the title, rank, and power of Chinese viceroys. 

“ All these things are odious to the mass of the people, and 
when, as at present, they find the whole of the European 
powers engaged in a general grab of fresh ports, they say 
this thing must stop. I need not say that I hold these mas- 
sacres in abhorrence, but if they had simply brought down 
all the missionaries to the treaty ports and said to them, ‘ If 
you come outside these walls you will be at once put to 
death,’ I should say that they were acting just as most 


with Seymour’s column 


83 


European powers would act in similar circumstances, and 
that from their own point of view they were acting wisely. 
It would be necessary, of course, for us to retain ambassa- 
dors at Pekin to protect our treaty rights and to settle any 
disputes that might arise, but beyond that I would, if I 
were the Emperor of China, forbid any foreigner from going 
beyond the treaty ports, which would be all so strongly 
fortified that they could defy any attack. Of course, for- 
eigners might be allowed to enter the Chinese service if 
invited to do so, drill their troops, manage their dockyards, 
build their railways, and conduct their mines. 

“ To my mind, the game of grab that has been going on 
of late has been shocking. The Russians who stepped in to 
prevent the Japanese from obtaining any benefit from their 
defeat of China were the first to begin by their enormous 
appropriation of territory. We seized a port opposite to 
them, and the Germans, Italians, and French all seized ports 
and territories. Can one wonder that China was moved to 
the core, that this sect of Boxers, which has existed for a 
very long time, suddenly became a violent political associ- 
ation, and that the Empress has gladly availed herself of 
their assistance ? It would be # strange indeed- if it were not 
so. You must remember that the Chinese as a race are 
extremely intelligent. Owing to the denseness of the popu- 
lation and the poverty of the people the weakly die off in 
childhood, and the struggle for life is so severe that the wits 
of the people become sharpened. They are the cleverest 
bargainers in the world. Every transaction is a battle in 
which purchaser and seller try to get the better of one an- 
other. Physically they are fine men; and their lives being 
for the most part hard, they have little or no fear of death. 

“ When you take all these things into consideration, you 
can see that there is a great deal to be said for the action 


84 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


of the Chinese. They have perpetrated horrible cruelties 
upon the missionaries and native Christians, but they have 
lived under a cruel regime. Capital punishment under the 
most atrocious conditions is very frequent among them, and 
they have become habituated and hardened to it. You must 
remember that at home as late as the reign of Queen Eliza- 
beth any persons found begging were executed, or, as a mild 
punishment for a first offence, had their hands or ears cut 
off. 

“ Of course, if we are attacked, I shall aid in the defence ; 
hut although I have lost my sister-in-law and her husband, 
I shall feel no personal animosity towards the Chinese, for I 
consider that we have, from their point of view, given them 
ample grounds for endeavouring to get rid of us.” 

“Well, I don’t think that I ever thought of it in that 
light, Eather, but it certainly does seem rough on them that 
we should seize port after port on the smallest pretext, and 
send our people interfering with their customs and religions 
all over the country. Certainly at ordinary times they have 
always seemed to me an inoffensive set of people, placid and 
good-tempered, which makes it all the more extraordinary 
that they should go in for such hideous massacres. However, 
Eather, whatever excuse they have, it is quite certain that 
we must not let them take Tientsin if we can keep them out 
of it.” 

“We shall certainly do our best,” Mr. Bateman laughed, 
“ and I have no doubt that we shall succeed. Still, we may 
have some tough work before us. 

“ We have received a despatch from Macdonald urgently 
asking that troops should be sent up at once,” Mr. Bateman 
said to Rex two days after his return. 

“Well, Father, if things really do look bad I should like 
to go back again. I told the girls that I would, and I cer- 


with setmoue’s column- 


85 


tainly should like to be there on my own account if there 
is any fighting.” 

“ Probably there will be fighting here also, Rex.” 

“Yes, Father, but there is no doubt that you will be able 
to beat them off here. Marines and blue-jackets will be sent 
up from the ships to take the place of those who are going 
forward now. Besides, no doubt an attack will be made on 
the Taku Forts, and you know they are not formidable. I 
don’t think, however, that it is anything like so certain that 
they will be able to hold out in Pekin. The Legations cover 
a big extent of ground, and what with the Boxers, the lower 
classes of the city, and the Chinese army, there will be a 
tremendous pressure upon them. Now, as Ah Lo and I man- 
aged to get the girls away from Chafui, it seems to me 
possible that, if the worst comes to the worst, we may manage 
to rescue them again. At any rate I know it would be a big 
comfort to them if I were there.” 

“ I don’t know, Rex,” his father said gravely, “ that I 
should be justified in letting you go. Still, you got so 
wonderfully out of the last business that I am disposed to 
let you have your own way in this. Besides, if there is 
fighting here, which I think probable, you will, of course, 
want to take part in it, and are as likely to be killed here 
as at Pekin, and as it will certainly be a comfort to the girls 
to have you there, I shall not say ‘ No.’ There will, however, 
be no occasion for you to go up with the troops. Possibly 
on their arrival there things will calm down, and in that 
case the troubles are more likely to begin here by the sea. I 
think there is scarcely a shadow of doubt that the Taku 
Forts will be bombarded, and that the ships will open a pas- 
sage for’ the gun-boats up the river. You had better, there- 
fore, wait for a week at any rate, by which time we shall 
hear whether matters have settled down in Pekin.” 


86 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Very well, Father, but I do not think there is a chance 
of that. There is no doubt that the Empress and her favour- 
ites are secretly urging on the Boxers, and although these 
will probably begin an attack, they will be joined in the end 
by the Imperial troops. I have no doubt, however, that I 
shall be able to get there in time. You see, Father, if I take 
part in the defence of the Pekin Legations it will be some- 
thing to talk about all my life.” 

“ I am afraid, Rex,” his father said with a smile, “ that, 
although I do not say that you are not anxious to be at hand 
if your cousins are in danger, you would be just as eager 
to go if they were not at Pekin at all. I begin to think that 
I have made a mistake in your education, that I should have 
done better if I had kept you by me and sent you to the 
College of Student Interpreters at Pekin. It seems to me 
that you are more fitted for the profession of a knight- 
errant than a sober trader.” 

“ Oh, I don’t think iso, F ather ! When things are quiet I 
shall be quite content to be quiet, to work hard all day, 
and to take a ride or sail in the evening.” 

“ Well, we shall see when matters do settle down, Rex, 
as I have no doubt they will after a time. I shall be quite 
content if we resume trade at the treaty ports as before, and 
I hope that the result of this war will not be the further 
breaking up of China.” 

The next morning the glad news was heard that strong 
detachments from all the ships of war were coming up and 
were going to march on Pekin. Admiral Seymour was to 
be in command, and the force would amount to about two 
thousand. 

“ This is splendid, isn’t it, Father ? ” said Rex. 

“ It is capital news, my boy ; but two thousand men are 
but a small body to go through a bitterly hostile country 


WITH SEYMOTJK’S COLUMN 


87 


defended by an army which, including the Boxers, cannot 
be put at much less than forty thousand men. There is no 
doubt that the railway will have been greatly damaged by 
the Boxers, and if our men trust to that, they will have no 
means of transport when they come to the point where the 
line is destroyed, which will probably be about half-way 
between this and Pekin. At the same time it is undoubtedly 
right that the elf or t should be made. Our countrymen 
cannot be allowed to perish if it be possible to save them. 
We know that so far they are unhurt, for the telegraph wire 
is still open to Shanghai, and we get messages from there, 
contradictory ones, it is true, but still, in spite of the varying 
nature of the reports, there is little doubt that up to the 
present time the Legations are safe. 

“ It is probable, indeed, that those four hundred men who 
went up to Pekin six weeks ago as guards to the Legation 
have so far saved the situation. The Chinese, as you know, 
did all in their power to prevent them from coming. For- 
tunately the ambassadors had by that time so fully recog- 
nized the danger of the situation that they brought them up 
in spite of the Chinese Ministers. It is but a small force to 
resist a well-armed army and a vast crowd of Boxers and the 
rabble of the town, but there must be a good number of 
white men there, missionaries of the city, and many who 
have made their way in from country stations. The Euro- 
pean shopkeepers, too, and such merchants as have not left, 
will between them considerably raise the fighting force. 
Besides, you told me that at any rate some slight defences 
had been thrown up when you came away; no doubt these 
have since been increased. It is fortunate that all the Lega- 
tions are fairly close to each other, and can probably be 
connected with each other without much difficulty. 

“The German, French, Japanese, and Pekin Hotels make 


88 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


practically one block, the Spanish is but a short distance 
away, the British Legation is separated from the Palace of 
Prince Su only by the street, the Russian Legation lies close 
to the British, and the United States Legation and Russian 
Bank face it. I should fancy that the line of defence will 
include all these. The Dutch Legation is isolated on one 
side, and the Italian on the other. The Austrian and the 
Belgian Legations also lie apart, and close to the former 
are the post-office and customs. These, however, are all that 
are outside the probable line. I should hope that the Tartar 
wall, which overlooks the whole and is close to the United 
States and German Legations, will also be held. It is a big 
area for seven or eight hundred men to defend; but it was 
not a much larger force that held Lucknow, and what can be 
done in one place can be done in another.” 

“I do hope, Father, that you will allow me to go up with 
the troops. If, as you think, they are not able to reach Pekin, 
I could push on in disguise and get into the town as easily 
as I left it. I don’t think there will be the least difficulty 
about that. I am very anxious about the girls, and might, if 
the worst came to the worst, escape with them in disguise, as 
I did before. Even if Admiral Seymour’s force should fight 
its way into the town, I should think that they will be in a 
similar position to that in which General Havelock found 
himself when he fought his way into Cawnpore. He would 
certainly be able to defend the Legations against the whole 
Chinese force, but he might not be able to cut his way out, 
encumbered as he must be, with a mass of native Christians 
who certainly could not be left there to be murdered. Even 
putting the girls aside, I should like, above all things, to 
take part in the defence.” 

"I don’t know that you would be able to go with the 
troops even if I gave you leave, Rex.” 


with seymouh’s column 


89 


“ Well, you see, I should become an interpreter. They 
will be sure to want some men with them who know the 
language, to question prisoners, and buy stores, and so on.” 

“ Well, I will think it over. I must speak to your mother 
before I settle on such a question as that. Of course there 
will be a good deal of danger, but I have very little doubt 
that as soon as these troops go up, the Chinese will attack 
us here. Large numbers of them are in the neighbourhood, 
and if they find they cannot resist the advance of the force, 
they will close in behind it and march upon this town. Cer- 
tainly we could not hope to hold the native quarter, but I 
feel sure that we could defend the settlement. Still, we 
might lose many men. There will, of course, be no fear of 
our having to stand a long siege, for the fleet are sure to 
batter down the Taku Forts, and the gun-boats will shortly 
be sent up the river. Besides, the troops from India and 
Port Arthur, and the Japanese, will soon arrive, and will 
no doubt come up to our succour. I can quite understand 
your desire to take part in the siege, to say nothing of your 
idea of getting the girls away. Going up with two thousand 
men also is a very different affair from starting off on your 
own account.” 

The next morning at breakfast Mr. Bateman said : “ I have 
talked the matter over with your mother, and though she is 
very reluctant to part with you, she has given her consent, as 
I have pointed out to her that naturally at your age you want 
to take part in a defence which is likely to be historical, and 
that you would certainly be a comfort to your cousins and 
might be of vital service. You have already shown great 
presence of mind and resource, and I have no doubt would 
do so again in case of necessity.” 

“ But you must promise me,” Mrs. Bateman said, “ that 
you will take care of yourself, and not expose yourself need- 


90 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


lessly. You must remember, my boy, that, fond as we are of 
your cousins, you are all in all to us. You are our only 
child, and for our sakes you must promise not to thrust your- 
self needlessly into danger.” 

“ I will not run risks more than I can help, Mother. Of 
course, if I do get into Pekin, I must take part in the 
defence.” 

“ Yes, Rex, of course, I understand that; I only beg of you 
not to expose yourself recklessly.” 

“ I promise not to do so. Mother. Of course I shall take 
Ah Lo with me. I am awfully obliged to you for giving your 
consent ; it would be a splendid thing to go through the siege. 
It is not like an ordinary siege in an ordinary war. They 
have attacked us and perpetrated the most horrible mas- 
sacres all over the country; they have lied through thick and 
thin ; they are treacherous and cruel brutes, who will certainly 
show no mercy if they capture the place, so that I shall feel 
that I am fighting in a good cause, and that these men 
deserve all they will get.” 

Tientsin presented a busy appearance. Troops arrived 
fast by train from the coast, and it became known that an 
expedition of some two thousand men was going to advance 
to Pekin under the command of Admiral Seymour. 

“Do you think, Father, that you could get leave for me to 
accompany the expedition. I could make myself useful as 
an interpreter.” 

“ I was introduced to Admiral Seymour this morning, 
Rex, and the idea did occur to me then, but I thought it well 
to wait until I talked the matter over with you again. It 
would certainly be far less risky to go with the troops than 
to make your way up in disguise, for by all accounts the 
Boxers and the roughs who have joined them are clearing 
out the villages and putting numbers of people to death. So 


with Seymour’s column 


91 


you see your disguise could not be any great protection. 
However, I shall see Admiral Seymour again this afternoon, 
for I am supplying a good many articles they require. If 
you go with me I shall introduce you to him, and we shall 
hear what he says about it.” 

Admiral Seymour was at the railway-station seeing to the 
detrainment of a strong body of marines and blue- jackets 
and to the unloading of their stores. Mr. Bateman waited 
until he was disengaged, and as he was leaving the station 
went up to him. 

“ I have sent the things you wanted to the depot, and shall 
be willing to send any further supplies that you may require. 
Everything in my store is entirely at your disposal. 

“ Will you allow me to present my son to you. He has 
only lately returned from a most hazardous journey which 
he accomplished in disguise. He went to save two girl 
cousins of his who were the sole survivors of a mission station 
at Chafui. He succeeded in rescuing them and taking them 
to Pekin, where he was obliged to leave them, as they were 
prostrated by what they had gone through. He is very 
anxious to return there; and as he speaks Chinese perfectly, 
he thought perhaps that you would be kind enough to allow 
him to accompany your expedition in the character of an 
interpreter. He might be useful in questioning prisoners 
or villagers. He could carry arms also, for he and a native 
servant annihilated a party of twelve Boxers who attacked 
them while they were bringing his cousins down.” 

“I have already got two or three interpreters, Mr. Bate- 
man, but I have no doubt that I could do very well with 
another. I will attach him to the company of marines and 
blue- jackets from the Centurion ” 

“ Thank you very much indeed, Admiral ! ” 

“Ah, here is Major Johnston, who commands the ma- 


92 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


rines ! ” said the admiral ; “ I will put you under his charge 
at once. 

“Major Johnston, I shall be glad if you will take charge 
of this young gentleman. He speaks Chinese fluently, and 
no doubt you will find him very useful as an interpreter. 
He is most anxious to get up to Pekin, because two of the 
young ladies there are his cousins. He will probably have 
a yarn to tell you of how he rescued them from the 
Boxers at Chafui. You will, of course, attach him to your 
mess.” 

“ Very well, sir, I shall be very glad to have someone with 
me who speaks Chinese; we are pretty sure to get hold of 
some wounded Boxers, and we may get valuable information 
from them.” 

Again thanking the admiral, Bex went off with the major, 
whose men were quartered in the customs-house. He was 
soon busy translating orders to the coolies who were assisting 
in bringing up cases of ammunition and other stores. In a 
couple of hours all was quiet. 

“ My father will be very glad, sir,” he said to the major, 
“ if you will take up your abode at his house. I have no 
doubt that all the officers will be quartered among the resi- 
dents. I think that we can very well house four, and, if they 
don’t mind squeezing, six or seven.” 

“ Thank you, Mr. Bateman ! I don’t know whether we 
have been told off to quarters, but if not, I will very gladly 
accept your offer.” 

Bex hurried home, and his father returned with him and 
assured the officei^that it would be a great pleasure to him to 
have as many officers as the house would hold, and that he 
could very well contrive to take in ten of them. 

“ Thank you very much, Mr. Bateman ! It will take some 
little time to see the men properly quartered. I notice that 


WITH SEYMOUR’S COLUMN 


93 


a quantity of straw has been provided for them. What time 
do you dine ? ” 

“We will fix our dinner hour to suit you. We generally 
dine at seven.” 

“ That will suit us very well. I command two companies, 
and have six officers, whom I will bring with me. You will 
have to take us in the rough, for we have only the uniforms 
that we stand in.” 

“You shall dine in your shirt sleeves if you like. Major.” 

Rex returned with his father, and there was for a short 
time some bustle in the house getting bedrooms ready and 
making arrangements for dinner. At seven o’clock the 
officers arrived and were introduced by Major Johnston to 
Mr. and Mrs. Bateman. They were a merry party, for the 
officers were all in high spirits at being selected to take part 
in the expedition. When they heard that Rex had only re- 
turned from Pekin the week before, they asked him innumer- 
able questions as to the country 'and the strength of the force 
that would be likely to oppose them. 

“ I think that you will have harder work than you expect,” 
he said. “ A considerable portion of the railway is certainly 
pulled up, and, judging by the number of fires I saw as I 
came down at night, the enemy must be in very strong force. 
I have no doubt that they will fight hard, for the Boxers be- 
lieve that they are invulnerable, and will fight with fanatical 
fury.” 

“We shall soon teach them that they are mistaken as to 
their invulnerability,” one of the officers laughed, “ and I 
don’t think that any number of armed peasants, for that is 
what they are, will stop us.” 

“ I hope not, indeed,” Rex said. “ I only say that I think 
it will be harder work than you expect.” 

“Mow, Mr. Bateman,” the Major said, “I hope that you 


94 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


will tell us the story of the rescue of your cousins, of which 
the admiral told me.” 

“ I have had to tell it so many times since I came back,” 
Eex said, “ that I really hope you will excuse me.” 

“ Oh, no, that is mistaken modesty on your part ! ” 

“ I will tell it for him,” his father said ; “ it is a good 
story, and does the boy great credit.” 

“ Then I will go and see if everything is ready outside,” 
said Rex. 

It was half an hour before he returned, and by that time 
his father had finished the story. The officers all warmly 
congratulated him when he re-entered the room. 

“ I wish I had done it,” one of the young lieutenants said. 
“ I would have given anything to have carried out such a 
plan.” 

“ I suppose you have not been in England at all,” the 
Major said; “for if you had been you would scarcely have 
been able to speak Chinese so well.” 

“Yes, he has been four years there,” Mr. Bateman said, 
“but I sent over with him a Chinese boy, who has always 
been his companion, and Rex had two days ofi school each 
week to go about with him and so keep up his knowledge of 
the language. I intend to go home myself in a few years’ 
time, and as he will then be left in charge it is of the utmost 
importance that he should keep up his Chinese. Latin and 
Greek would be of no value whatever here, so I arranged that 
he should only take up English subjects and English games.” 

“ A capital plan, Mr. Bateman. His knowledge of the 
language has already stood him in good stead.” 

“ What is the latest news ? ” 

“We had a telegram to say that the American Mission 
buildings at Tung Chau, twelve miles from Pekin, have been 
abandoned by the missionaries, and have been looted and 


WITH SEYMOUK’S COLUMN 


95 


burned by the Chinese soldiers sent to protect them; and 
further, that seventy-five native Christians, who have been 
trained for years by the American missionaries, were mas- 
sacred there. The British Legation summer residence in the 
hills near Pekin has also been burned. A telegram from 
Shanghai says that there has been a fight between General 
Nel Hsi Chong, with three thousand men, and the Boxers, 
and it is reported that the general has been superseded for 
his trouble.” 

“ When do you leave ? ” 

“ The rest of the force will be up to-morrow, and we shall 
start on the following morning. Altogether we shall have 
nine hundred and fifteen British, three hundred and fifteen 
Germans, three hundred Russians, one hundred and fifty- 
eight French, one hundred and four Americans, fifty- two 
Japanese, forty Italians, and twenty-five Austrians.” 

“ Rather a mixed lot,” Mr. Bateman said. “ It is as well 
that our contingent is so strong. Had it not been so. Ad- 
miral Seymour might have found some difficulty with the 
commanders of so many nationalities.” 

“Yes, it is certainly well that we constitute nearly half 
the force- — more than half the force, if we count in the 
Americans and Japs, on both of whom we can rely. How- 
ever, I don’t think that there will be any trouble with the 
Russians, Germans, and French, who won’t be able to under- 
stand each other, and as it is so short a march they will 
have no opportunity of coming to any mutual understanding. 
We might even count in the two small parties of Austrians 
and Italians as going with us.” 


CHAPTER VI 


IN PEKIN 



LL were hard at work on the following day making prep- 


arations for the advance. Rex acted as interpreter to 
the major, and got on quite familiar terms with his officers. 
The start was made early the next morning in four troop 
trains. The men cheered lustily as they started, and the 
residents of the town all gathered to give them a hearty send- 
off. Rex managed to get a place in the train for Ah Lo, and 
took with him in a small bundle the disguise he had worn at 
Chafui. He was perhaps the only person in the train who did 
not feel absolutely confident of a triumphant march to Pekin, 
but he had made up his mind that should they have to fall 
back he would himself pursue his journey with Ah Lo. 

For a time the train passed through cultivated ground, but 
the work of the enemy was very soon visible. Portions of the 
line were torn up in many places, and attempts had evidently 
been made to destroy the bridges. Several times the train 
had to stop in order to make repairs, but owing to the large 
number of hands available the work was performed so rapidly 
that there was only a short delay at these points. At Lo-Fa 
for the first time the Boxers were seen actively engaged. The 
plate-layers’ cabins were in flames, and the telegraph poles 
had been cut down, and men were engaged in destroying 
them. The villages bordering the line were also m flames, and 
the inscription, “ Kill all foreigners,” was posted up every- 
where. The Chinese troops alighted and fired several vol- 


IN PEKIN 


97 


leys at parties of Boxers, but apparently without doing any 
execution, their ineffectual efforts exciting much merriment 
among the allied troops. 

A mile farther smoke was seen rising from several villages, 
and General Nieh refused absolutely to continue the journey, 
declaring that the whole country was evidently swarming 
with Boxers, and that it was highly dangerous to advance. 
He insisted on returning to Lo-Fa. Admiral Seymour 
strongly urged him to remain there with his men, but with- 
out success; he and his soldiers were firmly convinced that 
it was useless to try to fight the Boxers, who, they believed, 
were invulnerable to shot. After the Chinese had left, the 
troops were detrained. The work of repairing the line had for 
the last few miles been very heavy, and as it was already 
late they halted there for the night. 

So far their work had been altogether unimpeded by the 
enemy, who had apparently fallen back as soon as the laden 
trains were seen approaching in the distance. The troops 
had grumbled a good deal at the cowardice of the enemy, 
but consoled themselves with the idea that they had not yet 
gone half-way, and that no doubt the Boxers would make a 
stand later on. 

There were plenty of materials for making camp fires, and 
these were soon blazing, and as night closed in, songs in 
various languages rose from the bivouacs of the different 
nationalities. The officers gathered round their own fires 
and chatted on the prospect before them. 

“ Your anticipations have not been fulfilled thus far, Bate- 
man, ” one of the lieutenants said to Bex. 

“ No, but it is not yet time for them to be fulfilled. It wa3 
only during the first half of my journey down that I saw the 
Boxers’ fires all over the country. They will become thicker 
and thicker as we near Pekin, and in the end I expect that 


98 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


the whole Chinese army will come out to meet us, swollen 
by the rabble of the town.” 

The expedition moved forward again in the morning. It 
was soon evident that in the country through which they were 
now advancing the Boxers had carried out their operations 
more thoroughly than in that through which they had 
already passed. In many places the railroad had been taken 
up for some hundreds of yards, and the sleepers carried off 
and burned, while the whole of the telegraph poles had been 
cut down and the wires carried away. The troops were very 
soon all detrained again and employed in the work of re- 
storing the line, an operation which was only carried on 
with great difficulty. 

In the meantime Lieutenant Smith of the Aurora went 
forward with a party of three officers and forty-four men to 
try to reach Neting, thirteen miles ahead, to prevent more 
damage being done to the line and to hold the railway-station 
there. He was attacked soon after he started. At three 
villages in succession he drove the enemy out with ease; but 
at half-past ten a determined attack was made on him by 
about four hundred and fifty Boxers, who charged in line 
with great courage. His little force, however, repulsed them 
with heavy loss; but as ammunition was then beginning to 
run short, and the enemy was still increasing in strength. 
Lieutenant Smith retired. As great bands of Boxers could 
be seen in the distance, Major Johnston was sent forward 
with sixty men to examine the line ahead. 

“You may as well come on with me, Bateman; we shall 
very likely fall in with some villagers and perhaps capture a 
Boxer, and so get information as to the position of the enemy 
in front of us and the state of the line.” 

“ I shall be very glad to come, sir.” 

Ah Lo, without receiving any specific orders, fell in as a 


REX INTERROGATES A WOUNDED BOXER. 



> 1 > 

























































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IN PEKIN 


99 


matter of course in the rear of the marines. They went 
steadily on, keeping two miles ahead of the leading train, 
and when eight miles above Lo-Fa they saw a body of Boxers, 
which they reckoned about three thousand strong, streaming 
out from a village on the left. This force did not make 
directly for the little party, but bore towards their rear with 
the evident intention of cutting them off. They had with 
them a good many mounted men who, dashing forward, 
crossed the railway behind them, while the men on foot made 
for a partially-burned bridge and a village commanding the 
line. 

“ Fall back at the double! ” Major Johnston called. “ Not 
too fast; it is certain that we shall have to fight them, and it 
won’t do to put ourselves out of breath. Keep up a quick 
fire as you go ; halt when you fire, and take steady aim. They 
won’t like the long range of our bullets. I don’t suppose we 
shall do them much harm, but our fellows will hear the firing 
at the wagons and we shall soon have a party up to our 
assistance.” 

Rex and Ah Lo unslung their rifles and joined the marines 
in their steady fire. The return of the enemy was not effec- 
tive; only a few were armed with guns, and these were not 
of long range. For a mile a running fight was kept up, 
twenty or thirty of the enemy being killed. They neverthe- 
less persisted in their endeavour to cut off the party. When, 
however, he saw a body of marines and blue- jackets coming 
up at the double, the major at once halted his men. 

“Now, my lads, you can give them independent fire as 
quick as you like; there is no fear of their closing with us 
now.” 

The Boxers who had crossed the line began to move back 
and join their companions, and the approaching blue- jackets 
at once opened fire upon them with rifles and Maxims. The 


100 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


reinforcements soon joined Major Johnston’s party, and 
under his lead attacked the village and drove the Boxers 
from it. Following hotly upon their heels, they forced them 
also to retire from another village with the loss of some forty 
killed and wounded. 

Bex’s services were at once called into requisition. He 
slung his rifle behind him, and set to work to interrogate 
seven wounded Boxers who had fallen into our hands. From 
them he learned that farther back the line had been almost 
entirely pulled up, that the forces there were very numerous, 
and their strength had just been increased by the addition 
of ten thousand regular troops, who had been nominally dis- 
banded in order that they could join the Boxers, while the 
Government might be able still to affirm that the Boxers were 
acting in defiance of their orders and that no Imperial troops 
had joined them. They said, too, that a considerable propor- 
tion of the troops in Pekin had been brought to the southern 
gate to oppose the relieving army if they broke through the 
forces opposed to them. Bex learned that two days pre- 
viously there had been fighting in Pekin and that it was 
expected that the Legations would all be taken in the course 
of a few days. 

The army advanced no farther that night, but the next 
day pushed on to Lang Fang, which was half-way to Pekin. 
They found all the station buildings destroyed and three 
hundred yards of the track torn up. Boxers were seen busy 
in the work of destruction, but when a shell was dropped 
among them they fled. A patrol that went out reported that 
a mile and a quarter of the track had been destroyed. 

The news that he had learned from the wounded Boxers 
on the previous day had excited in Bex a burning desire to 
push forward. The position in Pekin seemed to be pre- 
carious, and he became so impatient to get to the principal 


IN PEKIN 


101 


scene of action that he determined to leave the army and 
make his way up in disguise. It was evident that if the line 
was, as it seemed, almost totally destroyed beyond this point, 
the progress of the relief column must be extremely slow. 
As the troops must hold to the railway, for they had no other 
means of carriage, it seemed to Hex highly improbable that 
they would be able to fight their way into Pekin. Having 
made up his mind, he went to Major Johnston. 

“ I am most anxious to go forward,” he said. “ We know 
that the Legations are attacked, not seriously perhaps at 
present, but they may be so any day. It appears to me very 
doubtful whether this expedition will be able to fight their 
way into the town, and if they do so it must be a considerable 
time before they get there. I do not know that if the place 
were taken I should be able to get my cousins off, but at least 
I could try. At any rate, I have brought my native disguise 
with me, and have no doubt that I can make my way into 
Pekin. How I shall get into the Legation I don’t know, but 
I think that by mixing with the Boxers I shall be able to 
make my way in at night. Is there any occasion, sir, for me 
to inform Admiral Seymour of my intentions?” 

“ None at all, Bateman. I shall probably have an oppor- 
tunity of speaking to him in the morning, and shall mention 
to him that you have started to make your way in alone. It 
is a risky business, I know, and I wish you well through it. 
I begin to think that you were quite right when you said 
that the opposition would be greater than we expected. We 
only reckoned upon the Boxers, and did not think that they 
would tear up the railway. It is now evident that our diffi- 
culties will increase with every foot that we advance. I 
trust, however, that if we do have to fall back, the Legations 
will be able to hold out. Our people may be driven from 
some of the outlying places, but I should think that if the 


102 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


whole of the defenders are concentrated at our Legation they 
ought to be able to defend it as long as food and water hold 
out. You did not hear, I suppose, when you were there, how 
they were provided in that respect.” 

“No, I did not hear anything about it. You see, when I 
was there the ambassadors still clung to the belief that the 
Empress was favourably disposed towards foreigners. As 
far as I could hear, no one else thought so; but I am afraid 
that they did not believe it necessary at that time to lay in 
provisions for a siege, and if the native Christians take 
refuge with them they will want a very large supply. 

“ Very well, sir; then as soon as it is dark I shall make off. 
I shall make straight for the river and follow its course. It 
is certain that the greater portion of the enemy will be 
gathered close to the line of railway, and I don’t anticipate 
any difficulty in making my way up. Pekin is only some 
forty or forty-five miles from here, and I shall enter it to- 
morrow. I shall, of course, make a circuit of the city and 
go in at the northern gate, and in that way I shall probably 
have no difficulty whatever until I get near the Lega- 
tion.” 

That afternoon Rex said “ Good-bye ” to the other officers 
of his acquaintance, and as soon as it was dusk, coloured his 
skin, touched up his eyebrows and eyelashes, painted a line 
from the corners of his eyes so as to give them an upward 
inclination, fastened on his pigtail again, and set out witli 
Ah Lo. As he had anticipated, they experienced no difficulty 
in making their way up. Occasionally they saw parties of 
Boxers on the banks of the river, and had to make detours 
to avoid them, but by morning they saw the towers of Pekin 
ahead. Turning aside into a field of standing grain they 
lay down and slept for some hours, and when they awoke they 
made a detour round the city and entered by the northern 


IN PEKIN 


103 


gate. As no troops were stationed here, they went on un- 
questioned into the city. 

As they advanced they came upon many ruined houses, 
and at one point a large tract had been cleared by fire. 
Many dead lay in the streets, for the most part horribly 
slashed and mutilated. Bands of roughs were still searching 
ruined houses for loot. In some parts business was still 
going on; the better class of shops were all closed, but those 
that supplied the poor were open, and the inhabitants were 
going about their usual avocations as if nothing had hap- 
pened. 

As they neared the Legations they could hear occa- 
sional firing. In this part the shops were all closed, and 
there was no traffic whatever in the streets. At some points 
large numbers of Boxers were gathered. Avoiding these, 
they turned into a narrow lane which led towards the British 
Legation. They went nearly to the end of this, and here 
Rex entered a doorway, took off his Chinese clothes, under 
which he had his own, wrapped up his pigtail, and put over 
it a Scotch cap he had carried with him. Then he and Ah 
Lq started out at a run for the Legation. Here and there 
men were grouped on the walls, and these, on seeing a Euro- 
pean coming along, shouted words of welcome to him. Half 
a dozen shots were fired from neighbouring houses, but they 
arrived at the entrance untouched. A dozen soldiers were 
stationed here. 

“You have managed that well, sir,” the sergeant in com- 
mand said as they entered. “ Have you come far ? ” 

“I have come on from the relieving force. They are at 
Lang Fang.” 

“Will they be here soon, sir?” 

“ I very much doubt whether they will get through at all. 
The line is all torn up, and they will be opposed by an 


/ 


104 WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 

immense force. I fear that you will have to wait till a much 
bigger force is gathered.” 

“ That is bad news, sir, but I expect we shall hold out all 
right. They don’t seem very anxious to come to close 
quarters.” 

Rex went straight to the ambassador’s quarters and sent in 
his name, and he was at once admitted. 

“ So you are back again, Mr. Bateman ? ” 

“Yes, sir; I came up with the relieving force two thou- 
sand strong under Admiral Seymour. They had reached 
Lang Fang, but I have great doubts whether they will get 
much farther, as the railway has been completely destroyed, 
and they are without means of carriage. There is no doubt 
that they will be met by an ever-increasing resistance as they 
move forward, and twenty thousand regular troops have 
moved round to the south gate to oppose them if they get as 
far as that. The communications are already cut behind 
them, and so large a force is concentrated near Tientsin that 
that town will probably be attacked. 

“The Taku Forts will be attacked very shortly. Troops 
are on their way from India, Port Arthur, and Japan, and I 
have no doubt that before long an army will be gathered 
sufficiently strong to fight its way up. But I fear that it 
must be some weeks before they are in a position to do so.” 

“Do you bring any despatches for me?” 

“No, sir; I was afraid that if I mentioned to the admiral 
that I was coming on, he would object, so I came off of my 
own account. I had learned that the Legations were being 
attacked, and I was most anxious to be here to cheer my 
cousins up, and to endeavour to do what I could for them if 
things went badly.” 

“ Very well, Mr. Bateman, I am glad of the news that you 
have brought me, though it is not satisfactory, but I own 


IN PEKIN 


105 


that I have had my own doubts whether the force that is 
coming up was strong enough to make its way here. It is 
better, however, to know the worst. We shall be glad of the 
assistance of your rifle and that of your man, for we are 
very short-handed, and even the aid of two rifles is not to be 
despised. You had better take up your quarters, as before, 
at the college.” 

Rex withdrew, and at once went to the doctor’s house. 

“ I am glad to be able to tell you,” said the doctor, “ that 
the young ladies have now pretty well recovered, and if the 
railway were working I should say that they could very safely 
be taken down to Tientsin. As it is, however, they will havo 
to wait until reinforcements come up.” 

“ Then I can see them, sir ? ” 

“ Certainly ; the elder girl is quite recovered, and the 
younger one is convalescent, but is still weak. It will do her 
good rather than harm to see you, for they have necessarily 
been somewhat lonely, as everyone here is busy. The ladies 
have all been occupied in making sacks to hold earth for the 
fortifications, and the girls have therefore been left more 
to themselves than they otherwise would have been.” 

Rex at once went across to the house. The girls leapt up 
with a cry of delight as he entered. 

“ Oh, Rex,” cried J enny, “ we are glad to see you ! When 
did you return?” 

“ About half an hour ago. I had to come up in the disguise 
I wore before. You know, I suppose, that we are quite cut 
off from Tientsin now?” 

“ So we have heard, and they say that there is going to be 
fighting here ? ” 

“Yes, but there is no doubt that we shall beat them off. 
You need not be uneasy.” 

“ Oh, we are sure of that ! I feel quite different from what 


/ 


106 WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 

we did before. For the past three or four days I have been 
helping to make sacks, and even Mabel has done a little. 
And how are Uncle and Aunt ? ” 

“ They are all right. I believe my father will have his 
share of fighting, for a great force of Chinese has gathered 
outside the town, and they expect to be attacked. It is hoped, 
however, that the ships will destroy the Taku Forts, in which 
case the light craft will make their way up to Tientsin. 
Then, of course, every man that can be spared from the ships 
will join the relief column.” 

“ But I thought that they were on their way up now, and 
that we were expecting them here to-day?” 

“I am sorry to say, dear, that I think there is very little 
chance of their coming at all at present. I came up with 
Ah Lo ” 

The girls looked at each other in dismay. 

“ Then how long do you think it will be before they really 
come up ? ” 

“ I am afraid it will be many weeks. Large reinforce- 
ments of British troops are coming from India, Russians 
have been despatched from Port Arthur, and any number 
of Japanese, and French, and Germans are being sent for- 
ward; but it must be some time before they are all here, and 
we must make up our minds that we are going to hold our 
own.” 

Then he changed the subject. 

“And so you are getting stronger, Mabel? You are look- 
ing ever so much better.” 

“ Oh yes ! I am feeling ever so much better, and the doctor 
says I shall soon be strong and well again. 

“We are getting quite full here now, for numbers of the 
native Christians are coming in for shelter. Everyone is 
told off to do something. Jenny is to help serve out food to 


IN PEKIN 


107 


the women and children, and I expect that I shall soon be 
able to assist also.” 

“ Yes, I expect we shall all be made useful,” said Hex. 

“Ah Lo has come up too, I suppose?” 

“ Yes, he came with me as a matter of course, and we shall 
both aid in the defence.” 

“ I wish I were a boy,” Jenny said. “ I should like to help 
kill some of the Boxers. I dare say a good many of those 
who were at Chafui have come here and will be among those 
who are going to attack us.” 

“ You will be just as useful in your own way, Jenny, as if 
you were a boy and could carry a gun.” 

“You must give us each a pistol, Rex, so that if they 
should take the place we can shoot ourselves. We have both 
made up our minds that we will do that rather than fall into 
their hands again. You don’t think it would be wicked to kill 
ourselves, do you ? ” 

“ Certainly not, Jenny; but in the first place I don’t think 
that there is much chance of their capturing the Legations, 
and in the next place I hope that if they did so. Ah Lo and I 
should be able to get you out again in disguise. But at any 
rate I don’t think you need have any fear. There are four 
hundred soldiers here, and the employees of all the Legations 
would certainly make a hundred more. Besides these there 
are the merchants and other people, and I expect they will 
form a corps out of the Christians who have come in. Most 
of these Legations are strong buildings, and it will be hard 
if we cannot beat off any attack. It is lucky that all the 
Legations lie within a short distance of each other, and can 
all be defended together. When I leave you I will go round 
and see what has been done to fortify them.” 

He stayed chatting with them for another half-hour, and 
then went down to the college. 


108 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ I have turned up again like a bad penny, Sandwich,” he 
said, as he met his friend, “ and am quartered here.” 

“We shall all be heartily glad to have you with us, and I 
regard you and your man as a valuable reinforcement. Have 
you heard that this morning the Boxers have begun to mas- 
sacre the native Christians? I believe that great numbers 
have been killed.” 

“ They ought all to have come in here,” Bex said. 

“No doubt we should have done the best we could for 
them,” Sandwich said, “but we should have had a lot of 
difficulty in feeding ten thousand of them. Though I am 
awfully sorry for the poor beggars, their presence here would 
scarcely be an advantage, for they would hamper us terribly 
in our defence. You will have to put up with bad cooking 
unless some of these Christians that are coming in turn out 
to be decent cooks, for the servants and coolies are all leav- 
ing. You should see Sergeant Herring talking to them as 
they go out ! ” 

Kex laughed. He had already made the acquaintance of 
the sergeant, who had been twenty years at the Legation, 
and who was in general control of its arrangements. He 
was a big man, with a powerful voice and an authoritative 
manner, and ruled the coolies with a rod of iron. He was a 
well-known figure in the city, and was regarded by the popu- 
lace as being only less important than the ambassador him- 
self. 

“ I can quite fancy him,” Rex said, “ and how the coolies 
would sneak off under the thunder of his voice. Well, I 
should say that we are just as well rid of the coolies. I 
don’t suppose they could have been relied upon. They are 
not like the native Christians, who, knowing that their lives 
are forfeited if the Boxers get in, will certainly be faithful 
even if they are not very useful. By the way, I have not 


IN PEKIN 


109 


brought your clothes back. I came up in a suit of my own 
under my disguise, but I was afraid of carrying a bundle. 
They will come up, then, washed and ironed, when all this 
is over.” 

Sandwich laughed. “ All right, Bateman ! I sha’n’t be 
able to get much washing done now, and shall hail the arrival 
of a clean suit when — that is a very vague word — when they 
come up.” 

There was a good deal of excuse to be made for the coolies 
and servants. They were almost all drawn from the popula- 
tion of Pekin, and their families, according to the Chinese 
law, would assuredly suffer were they to remain at the Lega- 
tion. This would account for the difference between their 
conduct and that of the native servants in the Indian 
Mutiny, for these, in the great majority of cases, remained 
true to their masters. 


CHAPTER VII 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 

N OW, Sandwich, tell me what have been the events here 
so far.” 

“ Well, things have been gradually getting worse since you 
went away. It is difficult to say what was the first act of 
violence, but on the ninth the Boxers burst into the pavilion 
on the race-course and threatened some of the students, one 
of whom, in order to get away, had to shoot a man with his 
revolver. On the tenth the Summer Palace of the Legation, 
on the hills, was burnt, and since then it has been impossible 
to go beyond the town. By the evening of the eleventh all 
the whites in the city were gathered at the various Legations, 
but the streets were still crowded with people, and business 
went on as usual within this quarter. The Chinese teachers 
in the British Legation, however, all struck, the coolies 
began to desert, and some property belonging to the Roman 
Catholics was looted. This morning the outlook was still 
more threatening. Mysterious marks appeared on the doors. 
A party of Germans and Italians raided a temple where the 
Boxers were said to be drilling, but they only captured a few 
weapons and a quantity of the red cord which the Boxers use 
as girdles. This afternoon things looked still more serious. 
Two of the Legation servants were cut down while shopping, 
and orders were given to clear the streets. In a short time 
all the shops were shut and the crowd cleared out. If you had 
arrived yesterday you would have witnessed the usual bustle 


no 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


111 


instead of empty streets. Later on there was a fire in the 
streets, and the marines turned out, but it proved to be the 
French clearing the street near their Legation. At night 
there were fires in many parts — the American Mission, the 
Eastern Roman Catholic Cathedral, and the Presbyterian 
Mission were all in flames, and to the east there must have 
been half a square mile of shops in flames. All through the 
evening we heard firing in the city. 

“ Still later a large party of Boxers, carrying torches, 
proved down towards the Austrian Legation. A machine-gun 
mounted on the wall was in. readiness for them, and when 
they came within a hundred and fifty yards it opened fire. 
The torches were immediately dropped and the Boxers bolted. 
The Austrians turned out to pick up the dead, whom they 
expected to find strewn in the street, but not a single one was 
seen, and it was discovered next morning that the bullets 
had cut some telegraph wires where they crossed the street 
nearly thirty feet above the level. Of course we had a good 
deal of laughing about it this morning, but it was a very 
unlucky affair. Had the machine-gun been well aimed it 
would have done great execution, for the Boxers were all 
crowded together, and it would have been a very valuable 
Jesson. As it was, however, it only confirmed the Boxers in 
their belief in their invulnerability. 

“ This morning we heard that the South Cathedral was 
on fire. That takes you up to the present time. Oh, by 
the way, we hear that the tower over one of the gates has 
been burnt.” 

“ What is the actual line we hold ? ” 

“Well, at present it goes from the Tartar wall to the 
Imperial wall by the side of the French Legation and the 
customs-house, and runs from the north bridge along by 
the side of our Legation across some houses to the Russian 


112 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


Legation, and then by the side of that across Legation Street 
to the Tartar wall. The Americans and Russians defend 
the west corner, the Germans and French the southeast, the 
Austrians the northeast, and the British the northwest. Of 
course the thing is only beginning yet, and there has been 
no organized attack, but no doubt we shall have plenty of 
it before long.” 

“ What are the Chinese authorities doing ? ” 

“ They occupy themselves principally in encouraging the 
Boxers in every way, and in the next place in sending in 
assurances to the ambassadors that everything is perfectly 
peaceful and that they need be under no uneasiness what- 
ever. At the same time Prince Tuan, the head and patron 
of the Boxers, has been appointed to the head of the Tsung- 
li-yamen, which is equivalent, you know, to our ministry. 
Several of the moderate members, moreover, have been turned 
out of it, and their places filled by creatures of Tuan. I 
really wonder that they think it worth while to keep up the 
farce of friendliness.” 

“ Ah ! there is the dinner-bell. At any rate we can for the 
present enjoy our meals; we may not have much to enjoy in 
that way presently.” 

They had scarcely sat down when there was an outbreak 
of musketry fire and a call for reinforcements. All had 
brought their rifles into the room with them, and, catching 
these up, they ran out. The fight was over, however, before 
they got to the scene. It was upon the north bridge that 
the sentries had been firing. A party of Boxers had come 
down from that direction, and after a volley had been poured 
into them, had charged, but had fallen back on receiving 
another, leaving two of their number dead upon the ground. 
Two wounded also were taken prisoners. 

During the night they were several times aroused by the 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


113 


sounds of volley-firing, but as these were not followed up, 
no one stirred. They learned in the morning, however, that 
the Boxers had come down from all the various roads leading 
to the Legations, but had retired on finding that they were 
strongly guarded. 

The next morning the Boxers started a number of large 
fires in the west, and as reports came in of the massacres of 
Christians in that quarter, Dr. Morrison, the Times cor- 
respondent, got together a relief party, who went out and 
brought in a large convoy of refugees, and terrible tales of 
the scenes of slaughter that they had witnessed. 

So far the Ministers had done nothing to save these un- 
fortunate people, being apparently afraid of giving the 
Chinese Government the excuse for declaring war against 
them for their interference between the different classes of 
their subjects, and for the present, though they were pro- 
tected, they were given no rations, and were dependent en- 
tirely on what small supplies they brought in with them, or 
the charity of the merchants and traders. Later in the siege, 
however, they rendered invaluable service, and it was to their 
zealous labour that the safety of the Legations was finally 
due. They were housed in Prince Su’s palace, which was 
generally called the Fu, and their occupation of this was in 
itself of immense service, as the artificial hills in its grounds 
commanded the east walls of the British Legation, and cov- 
ered the Japanese and French Legations from the artillery 
fire in their rear. 

After breakfast Rex, Sandwich, and several other student 
interpreters went round the whole line of defence. The 
barricades were extremely weak and only calculated to check 
for a moment the rush of the enemy ; they consisted merely of 
Chinese carts turned on their sides across the road. Beyond, 
however, the quiet and deserted streets spoke eloquently of 


114 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


the threatened danger. Sentries were thrown out well along 
these, and within that range a few of the European shops 
kept their doors open, and officers and servants of the Lega- 
tions went out and bought provisions. No great effort had 
been made to gather in stores, as the general conviction was 
that Admiral Seymour’s column would soon be up. 

The next day a fire was started near the tower known 
as the Chien Men, the great gate leading into the Chinese 
city. It began in a shop which did a great sale in foreign 
medicines, and spread rapidly. The people worked hard to 
carry off their property to a place of safety, and for the most 
part conveyed it through the gate and stowed it away in a 
moat which was at that time dry. The whole quarter was 
soon in flames, and frequent explosions were heard as the 
flames reached the shops stored with petroleum and fire- 
works. The conflagration raged all day. Towards five o’clock 
the fire spread to two small arcades running through the 
gates, and the wooden shops blazed up furiously. The flames 
ultimately reached the beams supporting the roof of the 
tower, and in a short time the whole edifice was in flames, 
presenting a splendid spectacle. 

Rex spent the greater part of the day watching the fire, and 
brought his cousins out to look at it. 

“ Why should the Chinese wish to burn their own town ? ” 
Mabel asked. 

“ Simply because they are savage brutes. It is perfectly 
astounding that all these quiet patient shopkeepers do not 
fall upon the Boxers and smash them up. I should say that 
millions of pounds worth of damage has been done already, 
for all the principal trading quarters have been destroyed. 
One can understand the people looking on placidly while the 
European buildings are burnt, but when it comes to their own 
houses one would have thought that the most peaceful and 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


115 


quiet people would be excited to madness and would attack 
with fury the scoundrels who are doing all this damage. I 
think they would anywhere else in the world. I cannot see 
what the Boxers expect to gain by it. At present they are 
practically doing nothing against us, and are simply destroy- 
ing the property of their own people. In one respect they 
are absolutely benefiting us, for they are making a great 
clearance round our lines, and are thereby adding to our 
power of defence; for however brave the Boxers may be they 
will hardly face our rifles across that open space.” 

All this time the attitude of the Chinese soldiers was 
friendly. Those on guard at the Chien Men did not interfere 
with parties of sight-seers who went out there. Occasionally 
they were seen to fire at the Boxers, and although there were 
one or two affrays with them these were brought on by the 
recklessness of the Russians and Germans, who fired upon 
them without any reason. 

The next morning Rex saw a party of marines with a few 
civilians going out of the gate, and hearing that they were to 
attack a temple in which the Boxers were torturing some 
Christians, he called to Ah Lo and followed them. The build- 
ing lay a little to the north of the Austrian Legation. They 
surrounded the place and effected an entrance, when they 
found that the Boxers, having fastened their captives to the 
walls, were performing incantations preparatory to murder- 
ing them. They opened fire at once. The Boxers made des- 
perate attempts to escape, but as they were hemmed in on all 
sides, every one of them was shot, and their captives were 
then released and brought into the Legations. 

The Russians were that day busy in pulling down some 
houses which lay near their Legation. At present the British 
authorities were still in doubt, and although there were many 
houses near which would have constituted a great danger to 


116 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


the defence had they been fired, no attempt was made to 
imitate the example of the Russians. 

“ The apathy that our people display is perfectly astound- 
ing,” Rex said that evening as the students were chatting 
together. “Everyone else, as far as I see, is conscious of 
the tremendous danger, and yet Ministers allow themselves 
to be continually humbugged by the Empress and her ad- 
visers. They really seem to be inviting disaster.” 

“ It certainly is remarkable,” Sandwich said. “We shall 
be lucky indeed if we don’t suffer for it. Even in the matter 
of provisions their negligence is astonishing. If we had set 
to work at once when the danger began we could have 
brought in all the stores within a quarter of a mile round 
and should have been in a position to carry on the siege for 
three months. As it is we are little more than living from 
hand to mouth, and if the streets round us were burned, as 
those by the Chien Men gate were, we should not have ten 
days’ provisions left in the place. I do hope that the Boxers 
will make so earnest an attack that the big-wigs can no longer 
close their eyes to the danger of the situation. Of course 
it is heresy for us to say so, but it is what every man here, 
outside the official circle, thinks.” 

“ Yes,” another said. “ I have no objection to any amount 
of fighting, but I do object to fight on an empty stomach 
when there is no reason whatever why we should be fasting. 
I suppose your cousins are all right, Bateman ? ” 

“Yes, they are quite recovered and are ready for any- 
thing — to load as we fire, or to exist on a dry crust. You 
know how they have suffered at the hands of the Boxers, 
and they will go through anything to see them routed.” 

“Well, there is one comfort,” another put in, “when the 
Boxers do attack us in force there can be no more shilly- 
shallying. The ambassadors must see then that we have to 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


m 


stand a siege, and will have to make an effort to get some 
provisions in. I have not a shadow of fear that we shall not 
be able to beat off the Boxers and regular troops too, but I 
am afraid of hunger.” 

“ So am I,” Rex agreed. “ Two ounces of bread and a 
drink of water is a very poor regime to fight on. Thank 
goodness we have plenty of wells in the Legations, and shall 
not have thirst to fight against ; but water pure and simple is 
a pretty poor diet.” 

Sunday the seventeenth passed quietly, except that there 
was a fight between the Germans and the Chinese regular 
troops, for which the former were to blame. The next day a 
courier arrived from Tientsin with the news that the Roman 
Catholic Cathedral there had been burnt down. No news had 
come of the relief force, and there was a general feeling of 
disquietude concerning it. On Tuesday a man who had been 
sent off with letters to Tientsin returned, saying that he had 
been unable to make his way through. The day passed tran- 
quilly; everyone was still discussing the expected arrival of 
the admiral, and fears began to be entertained for the first 
time that he might fail to reach Pekin, or that, even if he did, 
he might not be able to fight his way out again, cumbered 
as he would be by the non-combatants from all the Lega- 
tions. The barricades, however, were being gradually 
strengthened, and supplies could still be bought from the 
shops round them. 

As evening approached it was reported that the Ministers 
were about to hold a council, and it leaked out that an ulti- 
matum had been received from the Tsung-li-yamen, calling 
upon them to leave the city the next day, as the allies had 
threatened to take the Taku Forts. The question was dis- 
cussed at the gathering, and the feeling was unanimously 
against going. All felt that no confidence whatever could be 


118 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


placed in any undertaking the Chinese might give to protect 
,the convoy on its way down. If they were to decide on retir- 
ing they would require a large number of carts to carry food, 
for they could not possibly now desert the native Christians, 
and with only six or seven hundred men to protect the long 
line, it was morally certain that the whole would be mas- 
sacred on the way down. The council agreed, therefore, that 
it was better for the Europeans to stay and defend them- 
selves to the last than to place the smallest confidence 
in the sincerity of the Chinese or their promises of an 
escort. 

There was a general feeling of relief throughout the Lega- 
tions when it became known that the Ministers had answered 
guardedly. Their reply, indeed, was simply an enquiry as to 
what amount of transport would be supplied, and what would 
be the strength of the escort. They were not aware that 
Admiral Seymour was retreating at the time, and that the 
Taku Forts had been already captured. 

The next morning the Ministers met again. No message 
had been received from the yamen, and the German Minister 
set out with only his secretary and a couple of Chinese ser- 
vants to go to the yamen and ask for their reply. On the way 
he was attacked and killed, and his secretary was wounded. 
Although the loss of life was to be regretted, the affair was 
in one respect a most fortunate one, for it showed the Minis- 
ters how critical their position was. It was clear now that 
if the life of one of the Ministers on his way to the courts 
was not respected, even the most timid could no longer place 
the smallest confidence in the promises of the Empress and 
her counsellors. The situation was at once changed. There 
was no longer any hesitation, no longer any feeble hope in 
the promises of the Chinese Ministers; there was nothing 
to do but to fight, and at once the apathy that had come over 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


119 


the Legations was at an end. Nothing was thought of but de- 
fence. 

The whole strength of the Legations was now employed in 
building strong barricades and in collecting stores. The first 
was important, the second even more so. Those searching 
for stores met with unexpected good luck. Two of the three 
foreign stores lay within the line of defence, and all the pro- 
visions in the third were speedily brought in. The searchers 
came upon a large wheat-shop crammed with grain, a large 
store of fodder was found within the line, and in many other 
shops large or small stores of provisions and eatables were 
discovered and secured. A store of coal was also discovered, 
and all through the day provisions were brought in in carts 
or by hand. From all the other Legations the people began 
to pour in, as it was decided that the British Legation was 
the most defensible, and must be the rallying-place. This 
building presented a wonderful scene of confusion. Minis- 
ters, their secretaries and servants, civilians, sisters from the 
mission, a few European traders and merchants all mingled 
together, talking in half a ‘dozen languages. 

The American mission brought in with them one thousand 
seven hundred Christians, who were placed in the Fu; 
seventy missionaries were encamped in the little chapel; the 
Legation students moved their beds into their mess-room, and 
gave up their quarters to the visitors; the second secretary’s 
house was given up to the Russians, and the doctor’s to the 
Americans. Every room in the Legations was closely 
packed, and many took up their quarters under the numer- 
ous verandas. Four American ladies were lodged in the 
room hitherto occupied by Rex’s cousins, and the girls were 
greatly interested in the crowd and bustle, which was all 
novel and strange to them after their quiet life in the mis- 
sion-house at Chafui. The ball-room of the Minister’s house 


120 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


was given up to the ladies, and their beds were so closely 
packed that it resembled a great hospital. The military offi- 
cials were encamped in tents, while many others were pre- 
pared to sleep in the open air. Boxes, bundles, and bales 
were piled and scattered everywhere. Some people, while 
working actively, laughed and joked, others sat disconsolate 
and miserable. All the unemployed men at the Legation 
worked hard helping the immigrants and trying to effect a 
semblance of order. 

Four o’clock was the hour at which the ultimatum expired, 
and exactly at that hour firing began, and one man was 
killed and another wounded. The artillery available for the 
defence was absurdly small; the Italians had a one-pounder, 
the Americans a Colt, the Austrians a machine-gun, and the 
British an old Nordenfeldt, which could not be relied upon 
to fire a half dozen shots without jamming. The supply of 
rifle ammunition was also exceedingly meagre; the Japanese 
had but one hundred rounds apiece, the Italians one hun- 
dred and twenty, the Russians one hundred and forty-five, 
while the French, Germans, and British had from this up to 
three hundred. 

In the course of the afternoon the marines had captured 
and driven in small flocks of sheep and three or four cows. 
The garrison had, however, to depend for meat principally 
upon the ponies and mules belonging to the officers of the 
various Legations and the merchants and missionaries. Of 
these upwards of one hundred and fifty were tied up in 
various parts of the Legation. In other respects the pro- 
visions that had been collected — wheat and rice, groceries 
of all sorts, wines and spirits — were sufficient to supply the 
whole occupants of the Legations for a considerable time. 

Now that the suspense was at an end and they knew what 
was before t t hem, all went about their work with brightened 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


121 


faces and an air of energy and determination that had 
for weeks been wanting. If a stranger had looked in 
upon them he would hardly have guessed that the die 
had just been cast and that the issue was battle, and battle 
against overpowering odds. All were ready to meet the 
worst. 

Directly after the first outburst of firing it was reported 
that the Austrians had, for no apparent reason, abandoned 
their Legation without an attempt at defence. Though 
within the line of defence, the Austrian Legation was a sep- 
arate outpost; but its abandonment necessitated the with- 
drawal of men from the customs-house, which lay behind it, 
and was a strong and well-constructed building. All the 
customs staff were therefore ordered to retire to the British 
Legation, and at the same time the British advance post on 
the north bridge across the canal between our Legation and 
the Fu had to be called in. All this caused the day which 
had been so bright and hopeful to end with a feeling of 
depression. 

Bex had been busy all day bringing in and piling stores 
and turning his hand to work of all kinds. In the evening 
he went in and had a chat with the girls. 

“We are all glad,” he said, “ that it has been settled at 
last that we are to stay here and fight. The murder of the 
German Minister was the very best thing that could happen 
to us, for it opened the eyes of all the others, and showed 
them that the Chinese were, as everyone else knew, wholly 
untrustworthy. We really were afraid yesterday that the 
Ministers would accept the Chinese offer to send an escort 
down with us. If they had done so, it is absolutely certain 
that none of us would ever have reached Tientsin. As it is, 
we all believe that we can hold out for a month at least, and 
perhaps a good bit longer. You may be sure that every 


122 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


nation will spare no effort to gather a force sufficient for our 
relief. 

“ It is a pity that we have not a better stock of ammuni- 
tion. If there is fighting every day, three hundred rounds, 
which is all the most fully-supplied have got, will not go 
very far, and ammunition is a thing we cannot manufacture. 
I doubt, however, whether the Chinese will attack us in 
earnest, and I am certain that if they do, we shall repulse 
them as long as ammunition holds out, and even after that 
we shall make a pretty stiff fight with the bayonets and 
other weapons. At any rate, girls, it will be a long while 
before I have to tell you to put on your native dresses again, 
and before I begin to look out for some quiet spot on the 
walls where I can let you down when the defence is finally 
over.” 

“ If the worst comes to the worst,” said Jenny, u I have no 
doubt you will rescue us somehow. We have absolute faith 
in you and Ah Lo. I shall do whatever you tell us without 
hesitation.” 

“ You may be sure that I shall leave nothing undone to 
secure your safety, but we won’t think of that for a long 
time yet.” 

Next day it was found that the Belgian embassy had been 
burnt down in the night. As it was some distance from the 
rest, however, the destruction was of no consequence. It was 
now decided that the semicircular barricade in front of the 
entrance to the Legation should be strengthened and the Nor- 
denfeldt placed upon it in such a position as to command the 
roads by the side of the canal to the north bridge. To enable 
the gun to do its work properly, however, it was necessary 
that a line of young trees by the side of the canal should be 
cut down. This was a particularly dangerous operation, for 
a party of Boxers had established themselves behind the 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


123 


bridge, and were ready to pick off anyone who approached the 
trees. The Japanese, however, had built a brick bar across 
the road on their side of the canal, and the guard there 
managed to some extent to keep down the fire of the Boxers, 
while the man who had volunteered to cut down the trees 
bravely proceeded to carry out this work. He was a powerful 
man, and refused all assistance. He accomplished his task 
without being hit, though he several times had marvellous 
escapes; but unfortunately, two days later, he was killed 
while engaged on similar service at another point. 

By this time things were settling down a little in the 
British Legation, where nearly the whole of the fugitives 
from outside and the members of the other Legations were 
assembled. A general committee was organized, at the head 
of which were several very energetic civilians. This was 
divided into several sub-committees, each charged with a 
particular class of work. Some attended to the sanitary ar- 
rangements, others to the more equitable distribution of 
the available space ; some undertook the commissariat 
arrangements, others the maintaining of the barricades. All 
the ladies in the Legation were now employed in sewing 
sand-bags. The available canvas was speedily used up, and 
other materials had to be impressed: sheets, curtains, and 
hangings of all kinds, table-linen, old dresses, pillow-cases, 
and in fact every article that could possibly be applied for 
such a purpose. Parties of coolies opened a road through the 
south wall of the British Legation and the intervening 
houses into the lane at the back of the Russian Legation, so 
that the Americans and Russians could have easy access 
to the British Legation, and could retire into it if unable to 
maintain themselves. 

A . party of volunteers set to work, and built a brick wall in 
place of the wooden balustrade on the upper veranda of the 


124 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


First Secretary’s house. This was a large building, and 
offered a fine mark to the Chinese on the Tartar wall, who 
had indeed rendered it quite uninhabitable. 

The bell-tower of the Legation was now made the head- 
quarters of the municipal government. Here the names of 
the members of the committees were posted, and all therefore 
knew to whom they could apply for any sort of work for 
which they were fitted. Notices were also posted containing 
scraps of news, translations of edicts, etc. This spot, there- 
fore, became the general rendezvous. The tower stood at the 
junction of four roads, all shaded with trees, and was only 
once struck during the siege. 

Rex was at work from morning till night, now carrying 
sand-bags, or building entrenchments, now distributing food, 
or taking his place with Ah Lo at some point which the 
Chinese were attacking and endeavouring to drive them off. 
Whatever he did Ah Lo was by his side, and the Chinaman’s 
great strength was invariably of considerable value. 

One of the greatest privations which the besieged suffered 
at first was want of water. The Legation was amply supplied 
for ordinary wants, but it was feared that the immense extra 
demand would cause the wells to run short. Happily the 
rains were very heavy, and when it was found that the level 
of the water was maintained, the regulations as to supply 
became less stringent, and though little could be had for 
washing there was no lack of drinking water. 

The hospital was one of the first things organized. At 
present the number of wounded and sick was small, but it 
was certain to increase rapidly. At the head was Dr. Poole 
of the British Legation, and Dr. Velde of the German. 
There were two or three lady doctors who had come in with 
the missionaries, a few regular nurses, and any number of 
volunteers. At present, however, there was small need for 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


125 


their services, as there were but five or six invalids to be 
attended to. 

On the twenty-second there was a terrible alarm, for the 
guards of all the other Legations poured in suddenly. As 
the attack had not seemed to be specially severe, this for a 
time was unaccountable, but it appeared that the retiral had 
been made by order of Captain Thomann, the senior officer. 
The Ministers hastily met; Sir Claude Macdonald was ap- 
pointed to the chief command, and orders were at once issued 
for the guards to return immediately to their posts. Had the 
Chinese known that the Legations had all been abandoned 
they could have occupied them without resistance, and the 
result would have been a terrible disaster. 

On that day the besieged learned that one of their greatest 
dangers was fire. At three points the British Legation was 
particularly exposed to this danger. On the north the 
Hanlin Academy, which contained a magnificent collection 
of Chinese manuscripts, many of great age, was separated 
from the wall of the Legation where the stables were situ- 
ated, and the out-buildings of the Minister’s house, by a 
narrow lane only a few feet wide. Behind the Chinese secre- 
tary’s house, which adjoined the wall, were several native 
buildings, while the southeast corner of the Legation was 
threatened in a similar way. These houses were all built in 
quadrangular form, and the central courtyard was covered 
in summer by a mat roof. At five o’clock in the afternoon the 
Boxers fired one of these sheds. The flames leapt up fiercely, 
and the secretary’s house became at once involved. There 
was a general rush to the spot, and men dashed into the 
kitchens and outhouses adjoining the wall and began to 
strip down all the woodwork, and to carry out everything 
portable, the Chinese meanwhile keeping upon them a haras- 
sing fire from every available point. 


126 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


The moment the work was done and the danger over, vol- 
unteers hurried off to demolish the buildings adjoining the 
south stables, and, working far into the night, succeeded in 
doing so. It was not thought that any real danger could 
arise from the Hanlin, which was considered sacred by the 
Chinese, as it was full of memorial and literary tablets. It 
contained the finest library in the empire, and was the re- 
pository of the state records. At the same time it was 
thought prudent to open a passage through the lane into 
the building in order to prevent its being occupied by the 
Chinese. 

Captain Poole called upon Rex and a few others to join him 
in the work. They had only just begun when someone ran 
up to them with the news that smoke was issuing from the 
building. They worked desperately. The danger was great, 
for a strong wind was blowing. A body of marines was at 
once called up, and a hole having been knocked through the 
wall of the building they poured in. Fighting sharply they 
drove the Boxers from the building, and then endeavoured 
to extinguish the fire, but in vain. All then set to work to 
prevent the fire from spreading to the buildings of the Le- 
gation. Water was brought up, buildings demolished, trees 
cut down. Fortunately the wind at this moment fell, and 
although the backs of the outhouses and stables were charred 
and blackened, they did not catch fire. The great hall was 
occupied as soon as the fire burnt down, and a wall having 
been built to cut off from the ruins, it was held till the 
end of the siege. Thus the efforts of the Chinese to bring 
about the destruction of the besieged only left them stronger 
than before. 

While the inmates of the British Legation had been thus 
occupied, other fires were raging, one near the French and 
another near the American Legation. At the latter the 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


127 


Russo- Chinese Bank was fired, and the Americans, aided by 
Chinese Christians, had desperate work to save the Legation. 
All the houses in Legation Street, from this point to the 
Chien Men, were destroyed. 

All next day firing was maintained heavily from every 
possible point. The Boxers kept up a continuous fire, to 
which our men replied but slowly, as the orders against waste 
of ammunition were very stringent, everyone being forbidden 
to fire unless he could clearly see his man. On this day the 
Chinese began shell-fire with the gun that they had mounted 
at the Chien Men. The American Legation was struck once, 
the German several times, but for the most part the shells 
flew overhead. 

As it was evident that if the Chinese planted guns 
on the Tartar wall they would command the whole of the 
Legations, the Americans and Germans, who were nearest 
to the wall, went out to seize it. They were very stoutly 
opposed, but they advanced steadily, firing volleys which 
effected terrible destruction among the Chinese gathered 
there, and pushed on until they came to a barricade on 
which two guns were mounted in a position too strong to be 
attacked by so small a force. They occupied the wall, how- 
ever, along the whole line fronting the two Legations, erected 
a barricade on it behind the American Legation, and another 
beyond the German Legation. In order to accomplish this 
they made such a demand for sand-bags that the bell which 
was ringing for service, for it was Sunday, was stopped and 
everyone set to work to make them. Just as the work began 
the alarm-bell rang out. A fire had broken out near the 
south stables. Some of the houses at this point had been 
destroyed two days before, but many were still standing. 
There was a large house in the stable-yard. This had origi- 
nally been built for the use of the escort, but had been 


128 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


handed over to the consular students, who, having grown 
too numerous for the accommodation, were in their turn 
superseded by the missionaries. The missionaries, however, 
had occupied it but a short time, as the upper stories had 
been handed over to the marine guard. It was a dangerous 
position, for near it was situated a market known as the 
Mongol Market, and from the houses on the opposite side of 
this the enemy kept up a constant fire. 

To the left of the escort house was a gate in the wall lead- 
ing to the market, which was principally used for the sale of 
firewood and fodder. From this gate the houses extended 
along the wall as far as the Temple, which had been pulled 
down a few days before. The enemy set fire to these houses, 
but it was round the wall that the battle was serious. The 
enemy had advanced close to the walls, and, setting up their 
flag there, poured a continuous stream of bullets into the 
burning house, and especially against the door. Had this 
fallen they would have been able to fire straight into the 
yard. Volunteers rushed up and began to pull down the 
stables nearest to the door, and to build up a wall some eight 
feet thick behind it. The door was already on fire. Some 
deluged it with water, others worked in the smoke to build 
the wall. Captain Halliday and a party of marines went out 
by the breach in the wall on the north and charged through 
the burning houses to clear out the enemy. This he suc- 
ceeded in doing, although he was himself seriously wounded, 
and in three hours the danger was past. The attack, how- 
ever, had been of great advantage to the besieged, for the 
Chinese had destroyed all the buildings adjoining the Le- 
gations, and had in a few days accomplished what must 
otherwise have been done by the defenders at the cost of 
enormous labour. 

From that time forward, although they were exposed to 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


129 


great danger at times, the garrison was free from any 
anxiety about fire. 

The next day was comparatively quiet. The lower veranda 
of the First Secretary’s house needed barricading, for several 
bullets had made their way in. That morning two of the 
ponies which had been shot there during the night were cut 
up and distributed. This was the first experience the be- 
sieged had of pony-meat, and at first they tasted it with con- 
siderable doubt. Henceforth, however, it became the regular 
fare, and was received with general approval. It made ex- 
cellent soup, and though, when cooked in a joint, it was apt 
to be hard, it was very good with curry or rissoles. 

In the afternoon the firing suddenly ceased and a man 
bearing a white flag took his place on the north bridge, with a 
board on which was written in Chinese: “Imperial com- 
mand: To protect the Ministers and stop firing; a despatch 
will be sent to the bridge of the canal.” 

This caused great excitement. Some suggested that the 
reinforcements might be at last at hand, others thought that 
it was a trap to throw us off our guard. The experienced 
were of opinion that it was merely a sign of the vacillation 
that existed among the Empress and her advisers, and that 
Prince Ching and Jung Lu had for the moment got the 
upper hand and persuaded the Empress of the madness of 
the course that was being taken. The day went on, however, 
and no despatch was sent in. The time was employed in 
strengthening barricades. The Chinese, too, made good use 
of the interval by erecting a barricade across Legation Street, 
facing that adjoining the Russian and American Legations. 
At midnight a tremendous fire was opened on the Legations 
from all sides. Shells frequently passed overhead, and the 
Legations were swept by a hail of bullets. Everyone was up 
and ready to repel an attack, but none was made, and after 


130 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


an hour the fire ceased as suddenly as it had begun. It was 
evident that the war party were again in the ascendant. 

All sorts of reports were current the next day. The be- 
sieged had learned that the Taku Forts were captured on the 
eighteenth, and they began to calculate that the relieving 
force might arrive on the twenty-eighth. 

Everywhere the native Christians worked unremittingly at 
the barricades, which were now so strengthened as to be very 
formidable obstacles to an attack. Orders were issued that 
bomb-proof shelters should be formed, and that the inmates 
of each house should construct them for themselves. Pits 
were dug out to a depth of four feet; these were roofed in 
with timbers on which earth was piled to a depth of some 
feet. Many of these shelters were completed, but the ladies 
almost unanimously agreed that they would prefer to run 
the risk of shells rather than bury themselves in such holes, 
for the tremendous rains that came on occasionally almost 
flooded the ground, and, running in at the entrances to the 
pits, converted the floors into sheets of liquid mud. 

Rex managed every day to get half an hour’s chat with his 
cousins. They were both employed as assistants in the hos- 
pital kitchen, carrying the soups, broth, and other food to the 
patients, of whom there were now some thirty or forty. 
These, thanks to the excellent medical attention, nursing, and 
cooking, were almost without exception doing well, and 
during the whole siege there was no single death due to 
disease generated by foul air or septic conditions. 

The girls were both cheerful and enjoyed their work. 
Being the assistants of the lady who superintended and for 
the most part carried out the cooking, they occasionally got 
a share of dainty dishes which were sent back untasted, and 
so fared better than the majority. Their work allowed them 
but little time for thought or anxiety, and their only fear was 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


131 


that Hex might be wounded; but as they saw him coming in 
every day fresh and cheerful, even this fear gradually died 
out. His stories of the siege amused them, especially his ac- 
counts of the different ways in which different people took 
their misfortunes: some being always cheerful and ready to 
make fun of everything, while others grumbled at every 
petty hardship, and seemed to consider themselves as specially 
injured by the whole proceedings. 

Rex himself had only had to fight on two or three occa- 
sions, for the barriers were all held by the marines and 
guards of the various Legations, while the civilians, although 
formed into corps, and ready in case of attack to rush to any 
threatened point, had so far not been called upon for service. 
At night, however, they took turns to keep watch at ex- 
posed positions, and during the day worked at whatever might 
be most required. The students were formed into a corps by 
themselves, and Rex acted with them. They occupied a 
crowded quarter, but were full of life and spirit, made light 
of their work, and at night formed quite a merry party. 

“ I am afraid you are very hard worked, Rex,” J enny said- 
one day. 

“Not a bit of it,” he replied. “ My hands were very much 
blistered the first two or three days, but they have got hard 
now, and my back has quite forgotten how to ache. As far 
as I am concerned I quite enjoy it, and I could not be living 
among a better set of fellows.” 

“I suppose you will get harder work shortly, but up to 
the present time there have been very few casualties.” 

“ It is quite certain now that we have regular troops fight- 
ing against us; that is shown by their new method of attack. 
Instead of making an onset on one point at a time, they now 
assail us from all points simultaneously. The fires all took 
place on the same day, and that tremendous bombardment 


132 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


two nights ago began all round at the same moment. That 
can’t be the work of the Boxers.” 

“ Then it will be more serious ? ” 

“No, I don’t know that it will be much more serious, 
except that no doubt they will bring up their cannon and 
plant them closer than they are now. But this develop- 
ment shows that Prince Tung’s party has not got the entire 
control over the Empress. A proclamation has been stuck 
up at the tower to-day appointing several Chinese generals 
to the command of the Boxers. It is certain now that we 
have got to depend entirely upon ourselves. It is also cer- 
tain that Seymour has either been annihilated or obliged to 
fall back. I consider it absurd to calculate that, now that 
the Taku Forts have fallen, an army will come up from the 
coast and arrive here in a few days. After the now certain 
failure of Seymour’s expedition it is evident that a much 
stronger column must be employed, and such a force can 
hardly have been gathered yet. Then the railway, which 
has no doubt been destroyed between Tientsin and the sea, 
will have to be repaired. As we know that the cathedral 
at that place has been burnt, there can be no doubt that 
the settlement has been besieged. The Boxers there are 
probably in great force, and these will have to be cleared out 
before any attempt can be made to relieve us. I certainly 
should not say so to anyone else, but my own opinion is 
that we shall be lucky if we see the head of the relieving 
party before another month.” 

“A month! You don’t mean to say that! Why, we shall 
all be starved out long before that ! ” 

“ It is wonderful how one can hold on if necessary,” Bex 
said. “ No doubt we shall be put upon half-allowance, and 
the number of mouths to be fed is tremendous, but we still 
keep on discovering stores in the houses and shops within 


FORTIFYING THE LEGATIONS 


133 


the line, and these have never been methodically searched 
yet. We have also got the ponies to eat. Fortunately the 
native Christians are not accustomed to a meat diet, so the 
ponies will last the Europeans a good long time. I don’t 
know whether there are any rats in the Legations,” he said 
with a laugh. “According to the accounts of most sieges, 
when the garrison were reduced .to an extremity they always 
seem to have maintained themselves on rats. I dare say they 
are not bad eating if one is driven to it.” 

“ I haven’t seen any rats,” Jenny said with a little shudder, 
“ and I hope I shan’t see one, either alive or cooked. I am sure 
I could manage very well with a little rice or flour and tea.” 

“ I am afraid that tea would not sustain us long, but I 
agree with you that as long as the rice and flour hold out 
we can do so. We have, I believe, a pretty good stock of 
tinned food, sugar, tea, cocoa, and so on, and the pressure 
will come more upon the unfortunate coolies than upon us. 
It is only fair to them to say that they are working splen- 
didly, and if we hold out it will be largely due to them, 
for almost all the barricade work has fallen on them. The 
fighting men are, of course, always on guard; the rest of us 
are all told off to work of some sort or other: sanitary work, 
the distribution of food and seeing to the wants of everyone, 
and, during the past two or three days, the erection of shell- 
proof shelters. The hard work falls to the Chinese. They 
are wonderfully patient, obedient, and hard-working, and 
expose themselves fearlessly everywhere. I am coming to 
have great respect for them. There is no giving way at all 
among them. They have lost everything they have in the 
world, but they show ^o signs of despondency. They take 
everything that comes as a matter of course, and sometimes, 
when I go among them when the fire is heavy, I hear them 
praying out aloud. Well, I must be off again.” 


CHAPTER VIII 


A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 

A S he went along Rex saw a Chinaman sitting down, 
weeping bitterly. 

“ ITillo ! ” he said, u what is the matter with you ? ” 

The man stood up. 

“ I only got in at twilight this morning, sir,” he said. “ I 
came in by the north bridge. I managed to make my way 
there and lay down underneath it. Just as it was getting 
light I made a run to come in. Many shots were fired at 
me, but I was not hit.” 

“ Then what are you crying about ? ” 

“ I am crying, sir, for those I left behind me. There were 
twelve of us altogether, and we had been lying hidden since 
the people first rose. We were in a cellar. The house 
was burnt over us, but the cellars were in the back-yard, 
and though the houses were destroyed, and we were nearly 
smothered, we managed to live through it. A part of a 
wall fell across the entrance, and that saved us. There was 
some food stored in the cellar and we have lived upon it up 
to now, but it was nearly all gone when I left. We have 
known nothing that was passing outside. Yesterday we 
cleared away some of the bricks and I crawled out. We 
could hear the firing going on continuously, and knew that 
the people in the Legations must be fighting the Boxers, 
and it was agreed that I should try to make my way here 


134 


A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 


135 


and ask them to send out a rescue party. Now I find that 
the Legations are so surrounded, and attacked so fiercely, 
that it is impossible for them to save my comrades. I have 
been speaking to one of your chief officers, and he tells me 
that it is quite impossible for them to do so, and all my 
friends must perish. I have an old father and mother there, 
and a wife, and three sisters, and the rest are all friends.” 

“ How far are they away ? ” 

“ More than a mile, sir.” 

“ I will think it over,” Rex said. “I am afraid nothing 
can be done, but I will see. If you are here at seven o’clock 
this evening I will tell you.” 

As usual Ah Lo was not far off, and Rex went to him and 
told him what he had heard. 

“ It is bad,” Ah Lo said, “ but what can be done, master ? 
Many have been massacred; it is but twelve more.” 

“Yes, but we could do nothing for the others. Indeed, 
most of them were massacred before we got in here. I mean 
to save these people if I can.” 

“ But how can it be done, master ? ” 

“ That is what I am thinking about, and I want you to 
think too, Ah Lo.” 

“ I am ready to die with you, master ; and if you tell me 
to, I will try to get out and do all I can for these people, 
if you will but remain here.” 

“ No, Ah Lo, that I cannot hear of. You know we have 
done well together before, and it must be easier to get people 
out of a cellar than it was out of a governor’s, yamen.” 

“ It might not be so difficult to get them out, master ; the 
question is how to get them away.” 

“I quite see that.” 

“ Of course they are Christians, and people can know 
Christians directly by their dress and other things, though it 


136 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


is not so much by the dress as by something in their manner. 
Everyone can tell a Christian.” 

“ Well I must say I don’t see anything different between 
the people working here and those we meet everywhere else. 
I will take your word for it, however, and if there is anything 
different they must do their best to change it. It seems to 
me that if we get them out we must hide them in some 
empty house, near one of the gates if possible, so that it will 
be handy for the wall. There are not likely to be guards on 
the wall at the other side of the town, and we might at night 
get them up there and lower them into the ditch; I believe 
at most places there is no water in it. Then we must get 
them round this side and haul them up that part of the wall 
we hold, and where we could, of course, make our way out.” 

“ It doesn’t seem to me that there is anything very difficult 
about it,” said Ah Lo. “ Of course we should put on Boxer 
clothes. The other day we got hold of lots of the cord they 
wear. Several Boxers have fallen near the north bridge, and 
lie there still; so we can take their coats. We can carry 
swords and pistols, but no rifles. If we should be discovered, 
the swords, of course, would be no good; we only want them 
to make us look like Boxers. Well, I don’t see why we 
shouldn’t be able to do it. Of course there is some risk in it, 
but if we could manage in the way you say, it ought not to 
be very great. Of course we must take with us the man 
who brought the news in, to show us the place, and we may 
as well get a Boxer coat and sword for him too. In fact if 
we can get half a dozen we will take them; the more we can 
dress as Boxers the better.” 

Rex went to his room and wrote some letters, which he 
gave to Sandwich when they met at six o’clock. 

“ Look here, Sandwich,” he said, “ I want you to take care 
of these letters. I have heard of a party who are shut up in 


A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 


137 


a cellar in the city. There are twelve of them, I believe, and 
they have exhausted their provisions, and must come out if 
not relieved in the course of a day or so. I mean to go out 
and try to bring them in here.” 

“ Eh ? what ? are you out of your mind, Bateman ? ” 

“ No, I don't think there is much risk in it. I shall get 
the Americans to let me down over the part of the wall they 
hold, and of course I myself and Ah Lo, who will go with 
me, will dress in Boxer clothes. I shall go round the wall 
and get in again by one of the gates at the other end. I 
don't suppose any guard will be posted there. At any rate 
if there is a guard they won't interfere with me. Then I 
shall go and get these people out, and shall either let them 
down over the wall at once, or hide them till to-morrow night 
in some empty house close to it ; all will depend on the time. 
It really seems a very simple thing.” 

“ It may seem a very simple thing, Bateman, but it strikes 
me as being a mightily dangerous one. Still, if I spoke 
Chinese as you do, I would volunteer to go with you.” 

“ It would be of no advantage. Sandwich. If we are de- 
tected it will make no difference whether there are twelve of 
us or a hundred and twenty; we should certainly be killed. 
It is simply a question of being found out, and therefore the 
fewer of us there are the better. Of course if only a solitary 
man detected us, we should cut him down without any hesita- 
tion, but at that time of night it is not likely that there will 
be anyone about to see us. They are so busy all day that I 
fancy all who are not engaged in worrying us at night would 
be glad enough to sleep. A good many dead Boxers are lying 
near the north gate, and I was thinking of sending my man 
to get the clothes of some of them. Now I think of it I 
remember that the Americans and Germans, when they cap- 
tured the wall yesterday, threw the bodies of the men that 


13b 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


they had killed over the parapet into the moat, so we can 
get the things when we go out, without running any 
risk. 

“ I should not have said anything about this to you, only I 
have written letters to my cousins and my father and mother, 
so that you can hand the one to the girls in two or three days 
if I do not get back, and send the other down to my father 
after you are relieved. I do it as a measure of precaution, 
but I really do not think that there is any great chance of my 
coming to grief. Of course if the worst comes to the worst, 
and we are surprised, I shall bolt for it with Ah Lo. I am 
ready to run some risk to get these poor people out, but I 
don’t mean to throw away my life, and, as I say, shall make 
a bolt for it if we are found out. In those deserted streets, 
with no end of empty houses, I fancy we could soon throw 
them off our scent, and should then be able to find our way 
back again quietly to the foot of the walls.” 

“ Well, I hope you will do so, Bateman. I tell you fairly 
that I think you are running a very foolish risk. Still, it is 
a noble thing to attempt.” 

“ Oh, bosh ! ” said Rex, “ it seems to me a very simple affair, 
and it is certainly well worth running certain risks to save 
the lives of those poor people.” 

“ When do you start ? ” 

“ As soon as it gets dark enough for us to move along near 
the wall without being seen. I want to go as soon as I can, 
because I should like to pass out through the gate of the 
China town before my doing so would excite any attention. 
I don’t think it is likely that they will have guards there. If 
we find that there are, and I see that they are watchful, I will 
hide up till the morning, when people are sure to go out to 
cultivate the fields.” 

Rex now found Ah Lo and told him that he need not go 


A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 


139 


out to get the Boxer clothes as there were plenty to be had 
in the moat outside the wall. 

“ That will certainly be better, master.” 

As it was getting dusk they started with the Chinaman 
who had brought in the report, made their way through the 
Russian Legation into the American, then climbed the wall. 
Rex was well known to the officer who commanded the party 
there. 

“ Good-evening, Mr. Bateman ! ” the officer said, “ have you 
any message for us?” 

“ No, I am going out on my own account. This Chinaman 
with me is one of a party who have been hidden in a cellar 
since the massacre. They knew nothing of what had been 
going on, and he came to ask if a party would go out to their 
assistance. That, of course, is impossible, but it seems to me 
that there will be no difficulty in me and my man managing 
it. We have got ropes for letting ourselves down from the 
wall here, and at the other side of the town, where the 
fugitives are hidden. I hope to arrive at the foot of the 
wall here not later than to-morrow night.” 

“ It seems a very wild scheme, Bateman.” 

“ I don’t think so. When we get down to the wall we are 
going to dress up in the clothes of those Boxers you threw 
over after your recent fight, and I shall take four or five 
extra suits for the use of the fugitives. In that way we are 
likely to pass along without being questioned. The streets 
will probably be nearly deserted by eleven or twelve o’clock, 
and if we have luck we shall be able to get them over the wall 
without much loss of time. If there is no guard at the gate 
of the China wall we may possibly be here before daylight 
to-morrow morning.” 

“ Well, I wish you luck, but I can’t help thinking that you 
are acting very rashly.” 


140 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“You must remember that I and my man have already 
travelled some hundred miles in disguise, and by this means 
have already got in here twice, and out of Tientsin once. 
I really don’t see that there is any appreciable risk in the 
thing whatever. If it is after daylight when we arrive here, 
you and your men will be able to keep the people in the 
Chinese town from attacking us while we are coming up.” 

“ I think we can promise to do that,” the officer said ; “ we 
never see a soul pass along this road.” 

“ Very well, we shall be here in an hour’s time.” 

Rex went to the storekeeper and obtained from him a 
length of rope sufficient for climbing the wall, and then with 
Ah Lo and the Chinaman he set out. It was dark when they 
got to the wall again, and they were without delay lowered 
down one after the other by the American marines. 

“We shall keep a sharp look-out for you towards morning,” 
the officer said ; “ do you want to take this rope away with 
you ? ” 

“No, I have another length with me.” 

Their first step was to strip the garments from nine of the 
dead Boxers. Three of these they put on, and the rest they 
fastened in a bundle, which the Chinaman took. For a 
quarter of a mile they followed the road by the moat, and 
then turned into the town. They saw but few lights, and 
went without attracting any observation through the gate. 
As Rex had expected, this was unguarded. They crossed the 
moat beyond it, and then walked on quickly. An hour’s 
brisk walking took them to the gate in the Tartar wall. This 
was open and they passed through unquestioned. Then they 
dived into a lane, and in a quarter of an hour reached a space 
covered with ruins. Through these the Chinaman led the 
way, and presently stopped by the side of a fallen wall. 

“ This is the place,” he said, and, advancing, he cleared 


A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 


141 


away some bricks, and suddenly disappeared into the bowels 
of the earth. 


“ It is I,” he said, “ and a white officer and his servant 
have come out to rescue you.” 

An exclamation of thankfulness followed his words, and 
Bex descended with Ah Lo at his heels. Striking a light, 
he saw seven men and five women. The people gave a cry of 
terror as they saw the Boxer garments. 

“ Do not be afraid,” Bex said, “ these are only disguises. 
We have brought some more with us, which the men must 
put on.” 


He struck match after match while this was being done. 

“ Now,” he said, “ you women must make some little 
changes in your dress, so as to resemble ordinary native 
women, and then we will sally out.” 

Five minutes later they started. They had gone but fifty 
yards beyond the burnt area when three men came from a 
house and accosted them. 

“ Who are you ? ” they said. 

“We are your brethren,” Ah Lo answered. 

“ Give us the sign, that we may know you are Boxers,” one 
of the men said. 

“ Give us the sign,” Ah Lo replied. 

“ We called for it first,” the man said. 

“Very well, this is the only sign that you will get from 
us,” and Ah Lo struck him a tremendous blow with his 
sword. 

Bex cut down another, and the^ third took to his heels, 
shouting. 

“ This way,” the Chinaman said, running down a narrow 
alley. “We can get out at the other end, where there is a 
net-work of lanes.” 

They hurried at full speed down the lane, then turned 


142 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


again, and in five minutes were a quarter of a mile from 
the scene of the fray. 

“ Now,” Rex said, “ let us make for the wall. That man 
may have given the alarm, and it will not be safe to try the 
gate.” 

They kept on until the wall rose before them, then they 
followed it till they came to steps leading to the top. When 
they reached the summit, Ah Lo unwound a rope from his 
waist. 

“Now,” he said to one of the men, “you go down first. 
If you find that the water is too deep to wade across, stop 
where you are.” 

One by one the men and women were lowered down by 
Ah Lo, and Rex was the last to descend. Just as he reached 
the water, steps were heard running along the wall. 

“Keep quiet,” Rex said, “let them go by before we try 
to cross. They won’t notice the rope in the dark.” 

Some fifty men ran along the top of the wall, leaving one 
here and there to watch. One was halted immediately above 
Rex and his companions. 

“Now,” Rex asked in a whisper, “how many of you can 
swim ? ” 

Three of the men said they could do so. 

“ Very well,” said Rex, “ we must carry across those who 
cannot; the women first. Swim as noiselessly as you can; 
that fellow above will hear the least noise.” 

The first party crossed without noise, but as the second 
lot were being taken over one of the Chinamen made a 
splash. There was an immediate shout from above, and a 
man leaning over the parapet fired a musket. The swimmers 
and their burdens, however, reached the other side of the 
moat without mishap. 

“ It will be five minutes before they gather again here,” 



Ml— 

s 








H— 

■ 

'** ^ 




THEY WERE LOWERED DOWN ONE AFTER THE OTHER 















































A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 


143 


said Hex, “ and then they will have to get to the gate, which 
must take them nearly ten minutes. Let us get well out into 
the country, and then make for the China town. Let each 
man help a woman along.” 

Fortunately all the women had, on becoming Christians, 
given up the absurd practice of deforming their feet, and 
were now able to walk with comparative freedom. Never- 
theless, they would have made but slow progress but for the 
assistance of the men. After a time they changed their 
course, but, hearing a number of men running and shouting, 
they took refuge in some high grain until they had passed. 
When their pursuers were well out of sight and hearing, 
they continued till they reached the gate in the Chinese wall. 
Here they waited for a quarter of an hour, and then Ah Lo 
approached the gate. 

“ I see no guard has been placed here since we passed out, 
so we can enter without fear.” 

Passing through, they turned at once to the right, and 
kept without interruption along the bank of the canal at 
the foot of the Tartar wall. The women were, for the most 
part, drooping now. They had been on short rations for 
many days, and were no doubt worn out by anxiety and 
terror. Progress, therefore, became much slower and more 
difficult, but luckily there was no further alarm, and before 
dawn they succeeded in reaching that part of the wall held 
by the Americans. 

“ We are here, Captain,” Rex called. “We have got them 
all. Please let down the rope and haul .them up.” 

“ Bravo ! ” the officer said. “ I hardly expected to see you 
again. We will soon have them all up.” 

Half a minute later the rope fell beside them, and one by 
one the women were hoisted to the top of the wall. The 
men were next taken up, and finally Ah Lo and Rex. 


144 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN" 


“ So you got through safely,” the officer said, shaking Rex 
by the hand. “ Did you meet with any trouble ? ” 

“ We were only stopped by three Boxers, and as we could 
not give their pass-word they tried to arrest us. My man cut 
down one, and I polished off another, but the third bolted and 
gave the alarm. We had no difficulty, however, in eluding 
them, and making our way to the wall. The fellows came 
along above us, and, as we had to carry the women over the 
moat, they heard us. But we got well away before they 
could come out through the gate, and we hid up till they 
had passed us in the dark. We had no difficulty in coming 
through the Chinese town.” 

“ Well, I congratulate you upon your exploit, which 
has been the means of saving twelve of these poor beg- 
gars.” 

“Now I shall be going on at once,” Rex said. “We are 
all drenched to the skin, and though we have dried a bit on 
the way, I for one shall be glad to get into fresh clothes. I 
will thank you to give me those I left here before starting. 
I must put them on now, otherwise I should never get 
through the Russian Legation.” 

He rapidly changed his clothes, and then they went with 
his companions down the steps from the wall, passed through 
the American Legation, and entered that of the Russians. 
Here the sentry stopped Rex, and refused to let him pass 
until an officer came out with a lantern and questioned him. 
This officer, however, recognized Rex at once, and allowed 
him and his party to proceed. Rex then went on through 
the houses that separated the Legation from the British 
quarters. Here they were again questioned by two marines, 
but having satisfied these men, they entered the British 
Legation. 

“ Now you are safe,” Rex said to his friends. “ You must 


A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 


145 


lie down and sleep here to-night. To-morrow I will see that 
you have clothes and rations.” 

The Chinese had scarcely spoken a word since they started, 
but now, as with one accord, they fell on their knees and 
showered blessings and thanks upon Rex for saving them 
from a terrible death. 

“It is all right,” he said. “ I am very pleased to have 
been the means of saving you and myself. Thank God that 
I have been able to do so! I had expected to meet with 
many difficulties, but everything has turned out well. Now 
I must go, but I will see that you get an allowance of food in 
the morning.” 

Then he went over to his quarters. Sandwich and two or 
three of his companions were still sitting up, and they gave 
a shout of satisfaction as they saw Rex enter. 

“ I am heartily glad to see you back, Bateman,” one of 
them said. “You found it, of course, impossible, and have 
had to give it up. I felt sure that you would have to do so, 
and we waited up to see you.” 

“ What time is it now ? ” asked Rex. 

“About one o’clock.” 

“Well, I am back sooner than I expected, and am happy 
to say that I have succeeded without any difficulty. On the 
way back with the refugees we had one encounter, and had 
to kill a couple of Boxers. The rest was easy.” 

“You don’t say so, Bateman! Well, I congratulate you 
most heartily. You have indeed done a good night’s work; 
tell us all about it.” 

Rex gave them a short account of his adventure. 

“ I thought,” he said, “ that there would be no great diffi- 
culty about it, and I am sorry that it was not accomplished 
without bloodshed, but we could not help ourselves in that 
respect. I am glad indeed that I brought the poor creatures 


146 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


in. The women were desperately done up by the time we 
got within the lines, which is not to be wondered at after 
all they had gone through. Well, I will lie down now, for 
I have had a very long day, and I must be up early to- 
morrow to see that these people get rations, for I fancy they 
are pretty nearly starved.” 

In a few minutes all were asleep. Rex was up before six 
o’clock in the morning, and at once ran down to the gentle- 
man whose duty it was to see to the provisioning of the native 
Christians. 

“ I want you to put down thirteen more names,” he said. 

“ How is that, Mr. Bateman ? ” 

“ One of a party came in yesterday afternoon, and told me 
that there were twelve of them in hiding in a cellar near the 
burnt area, so I went out with my man last night and 
brought them in.” 

“ You did, Mr. Bateman? You astonish me! And you did 
it without opposition ? ” 

“ Without any opposition to speak of, sir. We had to kill 
a couple of Boxers, and we were pursued hotly. After we 
got over the wall one of the men made a splash in the water, 
and the sentry heard it. But, with those two slight excep- 
tions, everything went off well.” 

“ But how on earth did you get in here ? ” 

“We got over the wall close by the Americans, and were 
hauled up by them on our return.” 

“Well, sir, you must at once report what you have 
done.” 

“ Oh, I would rather say nothing about it at all ! ” Rex 
said. “ I shall only be questioned about it, and have all sorts 
of bother.” 

“ Nevertheless it must be reported, Mr. Bateman. I shall 
have to account for the issue of thirteen more rations than 


A PERILOUS ADVENTURE 


147 


before, and shall have to explain in my report that these are 
people who were brought in by you during the night.” 

“ Well, I only hope that nobody will take the trouble to 
read your report, sir. I hate being talked about, and as likely 
as not I should be blown up for going out without orders.” 

“ Perhaps something will be said about that, Mr. Bateman, 
but certainly you will get more praise than blame.” 

Bex shrugged his shoulders. 

“ I would much rather get neither, sir. The affair was a 
very simple and straightforward one, and there is no occasion 
that I can see for anything to be said about it one way or 
another.” 

Nevertheless, to his disgust, he saw, an hour later, a notice 
stuck up among those in the tower, that Mr. Bateman, with 
his man, had gone out and succeeded in bringing in thirteen 
native Christians from a hiding-place among the ruins. 


CHAPTER IX 


IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP 

A S Rex was returning to breakfast in a state of exceeding 
bad temper, he met Sandwich, who said : “ Sir Claude’s 
secretary has been round. He wishes to see you.” 

Rex swung himself round with a grunt of dissatisfaction, 
and made his way to the residency. Sir Claude, with four 
other gentlemen, had just sat down to breakfast when he was 
shown in. 

“Have you breakfasted, Mr. Bateman?” he asked. 

“No, sir, not yet.” 

“ Sit down and take it with me, then ; we can talk while 
we eat.” 

Rex would much rather have gone through his examina- 
tion and made off to breakfast with his chum, but as he could 
not refuse the invitation, he sat down in no very good 
temper. Sir Claude smiled a little. 

“I can understand,” he said after a minute or two, “by 
what you said last time I had a conversation with you, that 
you don’t like having your good deeds talked about.” 

“ I don’t like being talked about in any way, sir.” 

“ But in that case, Mr. Bateman, you should not do things 
that necessitate your being talked about.” 

Rex, after a little struggle to maintain his serious face, 
laughed. 

“ Well, sir, I can assure you that if I had my own way I 


148 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


149 


should prefer to go about and do what I like and to keep it 
entirely to myself.” 

“ Well, now, you see, the thing has come out, Mr. Bateman, 
certainly not from what you said about it, but from the report 
made by Mr. Graham, when you applied to him for thirteen 
Chinamen to be put on rations. I have just been telling these 
gentlemen of the manner in which you rescued your cousins, 
and they, as well as myself, want to hear this second chapter 
of adventure. Please tell us all about it.” 

“ There is very little to tell, sir.” 

“ Excuse me, Mr. Bateman, there must be a good deal to 
tell, and as you must be perfectly well aware that you ought 
not to have left the Legation without permission, the least 
you can do is to give us a full account of your reasons for 
doing so, and of the manner in which you carried out your 
adventure. Now, please, begin at the beginning and tell us 
how you learned that the people were in hiding.” 

Beginning, therefore, with his meeting with the Chinaman, 
Bex told the story, ending with : “ There, sir, I said at the 

beginning that there was really nothing to tell, and that it 
was the simplest thing in the world.” 

“ I do not quite agree with you, Mr. Bateman. I think my 
friends here will all join with me in saying that it was an 
admirably planned and well carried out scheme, and it 
cannot, I am sure, be otherwise than a matter of intense 
gratification to yourself that you have saved these twelve 
poor people from a terrible death. It does you very great 
credit, sir, but I hope that you will not undertake any more 
enterprises of this kind without speaking to me beforehand. 
I am commander-in-chief of the forces here, and before any 
of my officers undertake enterprises that might deprive me of 
their services they must have my consent.” 

As soon as the meal was over, Bex ran back to his quarters. 


150 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Is there anything left to eat. Sandwich ? ” he asked. 

“ Yes, we put some by for you.” 

“ That is a comfort. The governor asked me to breakfast 
with him, and I had scarcely got down two or three mouthfuls 
when he asked me to tell him all about that affair last night, 
and as a fellow cannot talk and eat at once, I fared very badly. 
What have you got ? ” 

“ There is half a pot of jam and boiled rice.” 

“ That will do first-rate. Where are you going to work 
to-day ? ” 

“ We are going over to the Fu, and are just starting.” 

“ Well, I will come across when I am done, and so get out 
of the way of being jawed at. I suppose we shan’t come 
back till dusk. That will suit me admirably, for there is sure 
to be something else fresh during the day, and by to-morrow 
this business of mine will be forgotten.” 

On the way down to the Fu Rex was captured by a party 
on the search for volunteers to drive a hole through the south 
walls, in order that a watch could be placed there to see that 
the Chinese were not mining in that direction. The day was 
tremendously hot, and as the wall was well built the labour 
was extremely exhausting. It was therefore a relief when 
they were called off to take any measures that might be 
necessary at the stable-house. The Chinese had mounted a 
gun at the barricade on their side of the Mongol Market and 
opened fire on the stable-house. Four shells crashed, one 
after another, into the stable-house, and the marines had to 
evacuate the upper story, and the whole building was so 
damaged that it was in danger of falling. Several shells also 
burst over the hospital. One entered it, and another killed 
a pony just outside it. The marines kept up a steady 
musketry fire on the Chinese who were working the gun, and 
soon managed to drive them off. In the evening the gun 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


151 


again began firing, this time aiming at the door of the 
stable-yard. As, however, the newly-built wall behind it 
was ten feet thick they effected no serious damage, and the 
next morning the gun was removed; and it was not again 
brought into play. 

This cessation of fire was singular, as, though it had failed 
to breach the wall behind the door, it could certainly have 
destroyed with a few shot the old wall beside the door. Half 
a dozen guns placed here would have brought the whole wall 
down in a very short time and laid our defences open. All 
sorts of explanations were suggested, but the general idea was 
that the Chinese officer commanding at that point must have 
been secretly in favour of the defenders of the Legation, and 
anxious that total destruction should not be effected, either 
because he was favourable to the Christian doctrine or feared 
the vengeance that would follow by the united powers of 
Europe. 

While the fire on the stable-house was continuing, a strong 
attack had been directed against the barricades of the French 
Legation. The Chinese lines had been pushed up so close 
that the fighting was almost hand to hand. M. von Rosthorn, 
the Austrians’ charge d’affaires, was fighting here, with his 
brave wife, a lady who had taken more than her share in the 
defence. She endeavoured to destroy the Chinese barrier by 
throwing upon it straw dipped in petroleum. The Chinese 
retorted with showers of stones, by one of which M. Rosthorn 
was somewhat severely wounded. Throughout the siege this 
lady evinced an amount of courage that was the astonish- 
ment of the troops. When Rex went back in the evening 
from the Fu he looked into the hospital to see the girls. 
They ran up to him eagerly, crying breathlessly : “ Oh, Rex, 
everyone is talking about your going out and bringing in a 
party of men and women ! ” 


152 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Well, then, I wish to goodness they would find something 
better to talk about. There is nothing in the thing at all. A 
Chinaman who had come in told me that the party was in 
hiding, and guided Ah Lo and me to the place. Of course 
they were glad enough to come out, and we had no adventure 
at all on the way, except that three Boxers came up and inter- 
fered with us, and we had to cut two of them down. The 
other bolted, and we then got over the wall, made a circuit 
through the fields, and climbed back over the wall behind the 
American Legation. I am quite sick of hearing about it, as 
if there was nothing else to talk about. It is quite ridicu- 
lous.” 

“ Well, people must have thought it was something out of 
the way, because a notice about it was posted up on the tower 
early in the morning, and another report that Sir Claude was 
praising your action very much. Lots of people have come in 
to tell us about it.” 

“ It is a pity they hadn’t something better to do,” Bex 
grumbled. “ I am quite sick of the subject; let us talk about 
cometh ing else.” 

“ This is the first time I have seen you cross, Bex,” said 
Jenny. 

“Well, it is enough to make one cross, having such a 
fuss made about nothing. Now, how are you getting on 
here ? ” 

“We are all right, though some shells burst over the house 
this afternoon, which made us fairly jump.” 

“ Yes, I know ; they gave us quite a start, but we could see 
that no great harm had been done.” 

“ The heat has been awful ; we have knocked out all the 
panes of the upper windows to try and get a little air in, but 
we have all been feeling it very much, and of course you must 
have felt it more. I really don’t know how we should get on 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


153 


if we were not allowed off duty for two hours each evening, 
when we can go out and enjoy the cool air.” 

“ Yes, it must be terribly trying,” Rex said. “ It must be 
worse for you in that stifling room inside than it is for us, 
even working in the sun.” 

That night a small party of marines and volunteers went 
out and endeavoured to capture the gun on the other side of 
the market-place, but the Chinese stood firm, and they were 
obliged to retire without having effected anything. They 
were very well satisfied in the morning, however, when they 
found that the gun had been removed during the night. 

The next day, the last of June, the fight raged round the 
French Legation, and although all men, not otherwise em- 
ployed, who could use a rifle went to the assistance of its 
defenders, things went badly. A considerable portion of the 
Legation was burned, and the defenders were driven back 
step by step; but when the Chinese were distinctly getting 
the best of it their fire ceased, without any apparent reason, 
and the wearied defenders and the Chinese coolies had time 
to put up fresh barricades. 

At nine o’clock a very heavy thunderstorm burst over the 
city, and at the same time firing was renewed with fresh 
vigour. Cannon, machine-guns, and rifles added their roar 
to the rumble of the thunder, and their puny flashes to the 
vivid sheets of lightning. The firing ceased by daylight, and 
the day passed without any serious disturbance. The next 
day, however, began badly. The Chinese concentrated their 
attempts against the German and American barricades on the 
wall; they had advanced their works to within a hundred 
yards of the Germans and mounted a gun there, from which 
they maintained a constant fire. It was difficult to send up 
reinforcements, for there was no shelter between the Lega- 
tions and the foot of the wall, and several were killed as they 


154 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


tried to cross. The American barricade on the west was very 
open, as the Chinese guns at the Chien Men gates com- 
manded it. On the night of the 30th of June the enemy 
threw up a new barricade within two feet of the American 
one. 

On the 2nd of July, at daybreak, the Chinese stormed the 
German barricade and drove its defenders from the wall. 
The Americans, seeing their own rear open to attack, hur- 
riedly left the defence and ran down to their Legation. This 
was a grievous misfortune. The Ministers all met at the 
British Legation, and decided that the wall must be retaken 
at whatever cost, as the Chinese were placing guns upon it 
that would sweep the whole position. No time was lost. A 
body of marines, Americans, British, and Russians, were col- 
lected, and, led by Colonel Myers, dashed boldly forward and 
drove the Chinese back along the wall. The enemy had 
taken no steps whatever to strengthen their position, or even 
to mass any body of troops capable of holding it against a 
determined attack. The moment the position was regained 
everyone who could work a sewing-machine or a needle was 
called upon to make sand-bags. Every sort of stuff was 
called into requisition for the purpose ; ladies cut up silk and 
cotton dresses, men contributed spare pairs of trousers — 
which only required sewing up at the bottom of the legs and 
again at the top after being filled. With these the barricades 
were strengthened. Nevertheless, although the position was 
re-established, a general feeling of depression was felt. The 
Germans had not worked well, their resistance to the attack 
had been feeble, and none of their marines had joined in re- 
covering the wall. 

The feeling was deepened by events at the French Lega- 
tion. Here Mr. Wagner, an officer of the customs-house, 
was killed and the French guards were driven back. 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 155 

Later, however, they recovered the position, and returned to 
their barricades. 

In the afternoon there was another misfortune. An Italian 
officer. Captain Paolina, proposed to attempt the capture of a 
gun in the northeast, facing the Fu, which had caused con- 
siderable annoyance. He suggested that the Japanese should 
proceed along the side of the canal, and then, working round 
a large block of houses, come down upon the gun from the 
north, while he, with a mixed party, should make his way 
between two of the blocks of houses against which the gun 
was directed. His own party of Italians was a small one, but 
they were supported by a few Italian marines and some 
Austrian and British volunteers. Among the latter were 
the students of the Consular College. 

“ It seems to be rather a hare-brained scheme,” Sandwich 
said. “ I do not know whether this Italian officer has any 
particular means of finding out the lie of the land, but we 
certainly seem going at it in rather a headlong way, and 
without taking any precautions whatever. However, as we 
have not been called upon for much work, it is our turn for a 
fight. I suppose you are coming, Bateman ? ” 

“ Of course I am. I regard myself as a consular student at 
present, and am certainly game to take part in whatever is 
going on, though, as you say, it seems wiser to gather in the 
part of the Fu that remains in our hands, and go straight 
from that to the gun.” 

They started along the side of the canal. When the Jap- 
anese had gone on ahead, the rest of the force rushed up the 
little lane at the corner of the Fu. Here they found them- 
selves suddenly face to face with a barricade, eight feet high 
and loopholed. It was impossible to assault it. The Italians, 
who were ahead, made a mad rush for the hole leading into 
the wall to the Fu. They almost fought their way in, for it 


156 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


was but wide enough for one man to pass at a time. The 
officer was wounded, and two of the marines were killed. 
While the struggle was going on, the volunteers stood with 
their backs against a wall which was a little out of the 
general line of fire, and when the Italians were out of the 
way they made a dash for the door, one by one. The first 
four got across in safety, but the last was hit in the shoulder 
and leg. The Japanese, meanwhile, had forced their way 
some distance north, but after having one man killed and two 
wounded, finding themselves unsupported, they fell back. 

The failure of the affair excited much indignation in the 
Legation. It had been attempted without any knowledge of 
the ground, without any pains being taken to ascertain the 
enemy’s position, and in a hasty and haphazard manner. 
Their success, however, gave great encouragement to the 
enemy. 

The next day the Chinese gun again opened fire against the 
Fu, and under its cover a furious attack was made on the 
building. The Japanese, who had already suffered heavily, 
were forced back, fighting stoutly; and they must have been 
driven out of the building had it not been for a company of 
Christian Chinese whom their colonel had assiduously drilled, 
and who now fought as bravely as the Japanese themselves. 
With their aid the Japs recovered their lost ground by the 
end of the day. 

The Chinese had shown particular animosity towards this 
company of converts, hurling curses against them and hitting 
them with stones. This was the result of an imperial proc- 
lamation which had been issued on the previous day, order- 
ing that all missionaries and converts who did not repent of 
their former error should be slain. 

The position at the American barricade was becoming more 
and more dangerous. The Chinese attack had increased in 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


157 


vigour, and they had built another barricade diagonally 
across the bastion, and almost touching that of the Ameri- 
cans. The consequence was that they could at any moment 
from their barricade pour into the bastion, and then make 
a rush over the American barrier. It was evident that if they 
were not driven out the wall must be abandoned. At day- 
break, therefore, the Americans, strengthened by a rein- 
forcement of British and Russians, gathered noiselessly 
behind their barricade, and, with the first gleam of light, 
dashed over it. They found most of the Chinese behind the 
new barricade asleep, and bayoneting them, drove the enemy 
also from the barrier on the other side of the wall. The 
Chinamen rallied, however, behind a barricade farther along 
the wall, and again opened fire, killing two of the American 
marines, and wounding Corporal Gregory of the British 
marines, and Colonel Myers, who had all along been in com- 
mand. This was a serious loss to the defence. 

By this time life in the British Legation had become 
smooth and regular, with the exception that a number of 
Chinese men and women, for whom no houseroom could be 
found, had to be accommodated in rude shelters in the 
square in front of the British envoy’s house. All were 
settled down, and every crevice through which a musket-ball 
could enter had been closed up. The chapel had been divided 
into compartments, and some fifty people were lodged in it. 
The library had been thrown open to the use of all within 
the Legation. The wells were fortunately full, and the 
health of the whole company was excellent. 

Communication was opened with the Fu, as a sloping pas- 
sage had been driven down into the canal and a strong 
barrier erected at the lower end, so that it was possible to 
pass along it without risk of suffering from the fire kept up 
from the north bridge. 


158 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


From another quarter, however, the enemy were giving a 
great deal of trouble. Owing to the burning of the museum 
the space between our outposts and the Imperial wall was 
clear. The Chinese had now built behind that wall a strong 
platform and mounted several cannon upon it, only one of 
which, however, was of foreign make. The parapet of the 
wall, heightened and loopholed, served as a breastwork, and 
as they put an iron shutter before the larger gun, they could 
with perfect safety bombard the Legation below, only three 
hundred yards away. The besieged could make no reply to 
the fire. The wall itself could not be breached unless by 
heavy cannon, and had the Chinese placed upon the wall 
some of the modern cannon, of which they had abundance, 
and added to their number, they could easily have destroyed 
all the Legations. But, strange to say, they contented 
themselves with only firing an occasional shot, which 
did a certain amount of damage no doubt, but nothing 
serious. 

Why the Boxers should not have utilized this commanding 
position is a mystery, and as inexplicable as their failure to 
use the gun on the opposite side of the market. This ques- 
tion was, too, a fertile cause of argument. In many respects 
the Chinese showed a good deal of intelligence in their 
attacks, and it was simply astounding that they should almost 
entirely neglect two points from which they could have done 
us more harm than from all others together. Some asserted 
that it must be due to officers in Ching’s force, men who, like 
himself, absolutely disapproved of the attack upon the Le- 
gations. But whatever the reason, all agreed that had the 
enemy utilized these two positions, the defence of the Lega- 
tions must sooner or later have broken down. 

“ They are a curious mixture,” Sandwich said. “ Some- 
times they seem to fight very pluckily, and then when they 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


159 


have really got the best of it they seem to hesitate in an un- 
accountable manner. Twice, you see, it has really been open 
to them, if they had made a push, to take possession of the 
American and German Legations and they might also have 
captured the French; then all of a sudden their attack ceased 
without any apparent reason. Again, when they had captured 
the walls, which really placed us almost at their mercy, they 
let themselves be driven off by less than a hundred men. 
Considering the force that they have at their disposal, they 
ought to have repulsed the attack with ease. Then they did 
actually repel our attack on the other side of the market, 
but the moment they had done so they withdrew the gun and 
ceased to harass us. They have any number of guns at 
their disposal, and might have planted a score of them there, 
in which case they could have battered down the whole 
length of our wall on that side in a few hours. Now they 
have stuck those guns up there and play right down into the 
residency, yet they leave unworked the one formidable piece 
they have at that point.” 

u It almost looks, Sandwich, as if they were divided into 
two parties, one using some sort of activity in order to take 
the place, the other thwarting them at every turn. That is 
the only explanation I can think of. It is a pity that one 
can’t get at some of the leaders. I don’t mean, of course, 
that Prince Tung could be bribed, but there must be some 
smaller princes and mandarins who would be amenable to 
a handsome offer, and who would go round to the side of 
Prince Ching, who we do know is dead against the Tung 
party. The best plan, though I don’t for a moment suggest 
that it is possible, would be to kidnap the Empress, and bring 
her in here in a sedan-chair.” 

Sandwich laughed. 

“ That certainly would be a grand move, but, short of the 


160 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


power of making invisible the Empress, the chair, and its 
bearers, I am afraid there is no way of doing it.” 

“ No, I am afraid not. Certainly it could only be done by 
someone who knows the palace and its ways perfectly. We 
may take it for granted that all the approaches are guarded, 
and that it would be absolutely impossible for anyone who 
is not perfectly familiar with the place to make his way in. 
That is the difficulty. I suppose that if a man could once 
make an entrance and hide up, he would be able to get at 
the Empress. She must be alone sometimes, and if he could 
get at her at such a time and put a pistol to her head, he 
might be able to get her out. I don’t suppose she would be 
less amenable to persuasion of that sort than other women.” 

Sandwich burst into a fit of laughter. 

“You are a curious fellow, Bateman. I do believe you 
would be mad enough to try it if you could see the slightest 
possibility of success.” 

Rex joined in the laugh. 

“I am not sure that I wouldn’t. It would be well worth 
risking one’s life to save the occupants of these Legations, 
but I confess I do not see a possibility of carrying out the 
idea, at any rate without the assistance of someone who 
knows every in and out of the place, where the guards are 
placed, what are the habits of the Empress, how she occupies 
every minute of the day, and all that sort of thing. If a man 
had learnt all that, and had got such a guide, I should say 
that it would be possible. In case of failure, however, he 
would have to be prepared to put an end to himself, so as to 
avoid a very much more unpleasant form of death. But it is 
useless to think of it, as I have no idea whatever of the geog- 
raphy of the forbidden city, or the routine of life there. It 
is a pity, for it would really be worth trying.” 

“ It is a pity,” Sandwich laughed. “ Can’t you suggest any 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


161 


other plan? For instance we might make a balloon, anchor 
it over the palace, and keep up a rain of Greek fire till we 
have destroyed the palace and all it occupants.” 

“ I am afraid that could not be done,” Rex said, “ there are 
many reasons against it, but it is a thousand pities that we 
have not a good stock of iron here and a smelting-furnace.” 

“ What would you do with that ? ” 

“ Well we might make a big mortar, say a two-foot 
mortar; it would not need to be very strong, because a small 
charge of powder would be sufficient for our purpose. If we 
could but drop a half a dozen shells into the Imperial Palace, 
I should think the Empress would be inclined to come to 
terms speedily if she did not want the palace and all its con- 
tents burned.” 

“ That is a more feasible idea than the last,” Sandwich 
said gravely ; “ but, as you say, we haven’t got iron or a 
smelting-furnace, nor powder, nor skill. If we had all these 
things we might manage it. Try again, old man. If you 
keep on inventing things you may hit upon something good 
some day or other.” 

“ My opinion is,” Rex said sturdily, “ that where there is a 
will there is a way. I have no doubt that when a certain 
ingenious fellow suggested making a wooden horse to capture 
Troy he was tremendously chaffed at first, but nevertheless 
you see he succeeded.” 

“ So he did, Rex, therefore clearly there is a chance for 
you.” 

“ I am afraid not,” Rex said, shaking his head gravely. 

“ Well, I would go on thinking, Bateman, if I were you. 
For myself I own that I see no way at all, but I do think 
that you would be more likely to invent a way than anyone 
else, considering the manner in which you rescued your 
cousins from the Boxers, and your success in getting in and 


162 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


out of this place, to say nothing of the convoying of those 
native Christians into the Legation. I believe that if a plan 
could be hit upon, you would be the fellow to do it, and to 
carry it out; but I am afraid that this is beyond you.” 

“ I am afraid so ; still, I shall keep on thinking the matter 
over. I am a great believer in the saying that where there is 
a will there is a way.” 

The next morning there was quite a stir. The Chinese had 
discovered an old iron cannon in one of the shops of Legation 
Street. It was an old Chinese gun, and it was a question 
whether it could be fired without bursting. The Russians 
had brought up some shell with them, but no gun, and after 
cleaning out the gun, they found that these shell would fit it 
moderately well. With some trouble the gun was mounted 
on the wheels of a hand carriage. Some of the charge was 
then removed from one of the Russian shells^ and, the on- 
lookers having retired to a safe distance, it was pushed home 
and fired. The result was grand; the gun turned over and 
over, the wheels went into fragments, but as the spectators 
ran up, a cheer broke from them, for they found that, con- 
trary to all expectations, the gun had not burst. The one- 
pounder Italian gun was then brought up, and the Chinese 
gun mounted upon it. This suggested the happy idea of 
utilizing the Italian gun, which was without shell. A 
quantity of leaden candlesticks was therefore brought in by 
the coolies, melted down, and cast into shot, and thus the Le- 
gation received the addition of two guns to its armament. 
Both proved very useful. They were brought up to assist 
in the defence of any point seriously threatened, and evi- 
dently created a considerable impression upon the assailants. 

On Sunday, July 8th, the Chinese made a heavier attack 
than usual. The British and French Legations and the Fu 
were all subject to this attack. On the spot from which they 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


163 


had set fire to the buildings behind the Chinese secretary’s 
house the enemy now planted a gun, and proceeded to shell 
the house and the fort on its roof. This did considerable 
damage, and caused much excitement, but after firing for 
some time they stopped in the same unaccountable way as 
they had done at other points. The defenders had begun to 
make a slide for the purpose of hauling their new gun up to 
the roof, but this was abandoned as soon as the Chinese fire 
ceased, as the gun was urgently wanted to aid the Japanese 
to repel a serious attack upon the Fu. 

The attack there was a very sharp one, the Chinese keeping 
up a heavy fire of shell, and setting some more of the build- 
ings in flames. The Japs, however, were in the end success- 
ful in driving the enemy off. The defenders of the French 
Legation were very hardly pressed for a time, but the attack 
was finally repulsed. At this point the Austrian captain, who 
had a fortnight before ordered the troops out of the Rus- 
sian, French, German, and American Legations, was killed 
fighting bravely. The Germans and Americans had also to 
fight hard to repel the attacks made upon them. 

Rex always looked forward greatly to his hour’s chat with 
the girls every evening. He had, early in the siege, intro- 
duced Sandwich and three or four of the other consular 
students to them, and one or more of these generally accom- 
panied him on his visits, so that they made quite a merry 
party, as there were generally many amusing incidents of the 
day to be related. As a rule, however, they chatted upon 
general topics — life in Tientsin, the prospects of relief, and 
other matters. Sandwich had caused great amusement, the 
evening after he and Rex had discussed the latter’s projects, 
by gravely detailing them to the girls, who, however, at first 
seemed a little alarmed lest Rex should endeavour to carry 
them into effect. 


164 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ You need not be afraid, girls,” Rex said. “ One must 
think of something while one is standing on sentry for 
hours; and I can assure you that it helped me very much 
through the long hours to imagine the various ways in which 
one might do service. I do not intend to take Sandwich into 
my confidence in the future. I consider that his retailing 
these ideas to you is nothing short of gross treachery. In 
future he will not hear of these matters until they have been 
accomplished. When I bring the Empress into the Legation, 
tied on my back in a sack, he will be obliged to own that 
there is method in my madness.” 

“ But really, Rex, you have no idea of carrying out any of 
these mad schemes?” 

“ I have no idea of carrying out any mad schemes, Jenny. 
Schemes are only considered mad when they are not carried 
out; when they are accomplished, everyone says how simple 
and easy they are. However, whether mad or simple, I have 
no idea of attempting to execute any of them at present. 
Possibly some day I may require your assistance. I do not 
say that I shall, because I have not at present fixed upon any 
plan, but when I do, I may put your devotion to the test.” 

“I will do anything that I can do, Rex,” Jenny said 
seriously. “ After your rescue of us from the yamen at 
Chafui I don’t think I should consider anything that you 
might suggest as impossible.” 

“ Very well. I am afraid, however, that I shan’t be able to 
ask for your assistance, Jenny, for my brain really doesn’t 
seem capable of inventing anything. I am always thinking 
of things when on sentry, but I have never managed to hit 
on a satisfactory scheme. It is horribly annoying. I came 
back into this place on purpose to be of some good, and yet 
I don’t seem to be doing any good at all.” 

“ Why, my dear Bateman, you are doing as much good as 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


165 


anyone else,” Sandwich laughed. “ Nobody else performs 
any out-of-the-way feats, and why should you be called upon 
to do so? You do as much as anyone else.” 

“Yes, I know all about that; but, you see, every day our 
position gets a little worse. The French, the Americans, and 
the Germans are all hard pressed; the Japanese, the Italians, 
and the Austrians are gradually losing ground in the Fu; 
and I feel that something ought to be done, if I could but 
find out what that something is. If we had had some in- 
ventive sort of chap up here — a man like Edison, for 
instance — he would have hit upon fifty plans for annoying 
the enemy. He would have invented special electrical ma- 
chines for startling them, would have contrived substitutes 
for cannon, would have peppered them with pneumatic 
machines; in fact there is no saying what he would not have 
done.” 

“ But even an Edison would have required a workshop. 
We haven’t a machine of any kind, not even a simple lathe.” 

“ Well, he would have done without them,” Rex said 
positively. “ It vexes me very much that no one here seems 
to have an inventive genius. Look at Archimedes, what 
wonderful dodges he invented for the defence of Syracuse ! ” 

Sandwich and his two companions laughed loudly. 

“ I am afraid there is no Archimedes here, Bateman, and 
you must put up with the ordinary means of defence, which 
do not, after all, succeed so badly. We have held out for a 
month now, and at the end of another month we shall still be 
in possession of a good deal of ground; but by that time I 
should think relief must be at hand, even allowing for the 
fact that there will be troops of half a dozen nationalities in 
the relieving column and the consequent delays, for it is not 
to be expected that the different sections will work well 
together. Besides, it is evident, from the desultory manner 


166 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


in which they attack, that the Chinese are very much divided 
among themselves. Look at the way they get guns into good 
positions to annoy us, and then fail to use them. If they 
were to plant cannon all round us and keep up a steady fire, 
they could knock all the Legations to pieces in the course of 
a week. This must be due to disputes among the leaders, for 
we know that the Chinese soldiers are obedient as well as 
brave, and that if the guns are not used it can be from no 
fault on their part. I feel very confident, therefore, that 
even without the assistance of an Edison or an Archimedes 
we shall manage to hold out till relief comes.” 

A day or two after this, Sandwich and Hex were chatting 
together in their own quarters, when the former said : 
“ Those cannon will soon bring the whole place about our 
ears. They have already done terrible damage. To-day three 
men have been killed, and the house is little better than a 
ruin ; it is impossible for men to stay in the upper floor.” 

Bex sat silent for some little time, and then, without mak- 
ing a remark, got up and went to find Ah Lo. 

“Ah Lo,” he said, “you know the damage those guns 
across the market have been doing ? ” 

“ Yes, master, very serious. Other guns not do so much 
harm; those very bad.” 

“ Well, I am thinking that I might go out and silence 
them.” 

Ah Lo looked at Bex by the light of a lantern, which was 
hanging overhead, to see if he were speaking in earnest. 

“ Master would get killed,” he said, shaking his head. 

“ I don’t think so. Ah Lo. Of course there is some danger 
in it, but I think that it might be managed.” 

“ Ah Lo is ready to go with his master, if he chooses to kill 
himself,” the Chinaman said; “but killed he would be for 
sure.” 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


167 


“I don’t think so,” Rex said. “ Anyhow, it is worth the 
risk. They will have that house down, and the wall behind it, 
if they are allowed to go on much longer. Then there will 
be a fierce rush and all will be over.” 

“ But how will master do it ? ” 

“ Well, I shall take a hammer and a long spike with me, 
and if you go with me — but mind you, Ah Lo, I don’t ask you 
to go ” 

“ You must take me too.” 

“Very well then, as only two guns are worrying us, you 
take one and I take the other. We can do it in half a minute. 
Of course you must manage to get me some native disguise, 
for we shall have to mix with the enemy to some extent, 
they are sure to be sitting and talking round the guns. And 
then we must run for it.” 

“ Can’t run across the market. We know that there are 
lots of them in the houses on this side of it.” 

“ No, I quite see that. Ah Lo. We must run the other 
way. I think I can run faster than most Chinamen, and if 
we get a start of a few yards, which is likely, as they will not 
at first realize what has been done, we ought to be able to 
escape and find a secure hiding-place. Then the next day we 
can work our way back at some point the enemy are not 
watching.” 

“Very well, master,” Ah Lo said in a more hopeful tone; 
“ when do you go, sir ? ” 

“ I will go to-morrow night, as we shall require some time 
to make our preparations. Mind, you are not to say a word 
to anyone of what we are going to do, for if he heard of it, 
it is possible that Sir Claude Macdonald would stop us.” 

“ Ah Lo will tell nobody, master. It is all the same to him 
whether he is killed outside or starved inside.” 

Rex went to bed, and lay awake for some time thinking 


168 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


how the affair had best be managed. He came to the con- 
clusion that the only way would be to lower himself by a rope 
from the end of the burnt library, then make his way round 
and come up to the guns from behind. It struck him that it 
would perhaps be advisable to tie knots in the rope as a help 
to them when they were climbing back again, but in the end 
he decided to make a rope-ladder, for he had a strong idea 
that neither Ah Lo nor himself would be able to swarm up a 
rope. When morning broke he went down to the store, which 
he unlocked, and after rummaging about for some time found 
a long rope, two hammers, and some long spike-nails. He hid 
the hammers and spikes in his bed, and then, retiring to an 
unfrequented corner of the Residency, he soon manufactured 
a rope-ladder, cutting some boughs to form the rungs. This 
ladder he concealed near the spot where he intended to get 
over the wall. 

Later in the day Ah Lo brought him a Chinese dress. 

“ We take guns with us, sir ? ” 

“ Ho, Ah Lo, they would only be in our way when we 
wanted to run. We can, however, hide our swords under our 
clothes, and I will get a revolver and ammunition for you. I 
can borrow them from Mr. Sandwich, telling him that I am 
going on guard, and that my own weapon has somehow got 
out of order.” 

The day passed off quietly, except that the guns across the 
market still continued to batter the house and to make a 
breach in the wall behind it. Soon after midnight Ah Lo 
jjined his master. Rex’s disguise had been laid down by the 
rope-ladder, and as soon as he got there he changed and 
prepared for a start. They got safely over the wall and then 
struck off in a direction opposite to the market. For some 
time they saw no one in the streets, but as they got farther 
away they here and there met people hurrying along, evi- 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


169 


dently fearful of being within the range of the firing from 
the wall. When they had gone some distance they turned and 
made a sweep towards the market. Now they came upon 
groups of soldiers. Firing had ceased for the day, and would 
not begin again until two or three hours before daybreak. 
An occasional bullet whistled overhead, showing that the 
garrison were on the alert; for although the firing generally 
ended with the day, yet fierce attacks were often made during 
the night. 

Rex and Ah Lo sauntered quietly about among the soldiers, 
gradually getting nearer and nearer to the spot where the 
guns were placed. 

“ I suppose we can look at them,” said Ah Lo, who with 
several others was standing near them. 

“ Certainly you can,” the man said. “ They are doing 
good work. In another couple of days we shall have the wall 
down, and then we shall finish off with the white devils.” 

“ That is good,” Ah Lo said. 

“ They have been here too long as it is, and ought to be 
cleared off without delay. When we have got rid of the last 
of them we shall be our own masters again. They are always 
meddling in our affairs, just as if they were our masters 
instead of only living here by permission of the Empress. 
They even venture to tell us what we should do, and their 
bishops get made mandarins, and then, if their people commit 
crimes, they will not have them punished. We have put up 
with it too long ; now we are going to make an end of it once 
and for all.” 

“ Quite right ! ” Ah Lo said, as he lounged up to the gun, 
for at that' moment Rex moved towards the other. While 
they pretended to be examining the guns, they quietly in- 
serted the points of the spikes into the touch-holes. Then 
Rex looked round. The moment seemed favourable. Eight 


no 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


or ten soldiers were standing close to them, talking over the 
fighting of the day, and the prospect of making a breach in 
the morning. Farther back other soldiers were laughing, 
talking, and cooking their rice. He waited a minute, and 
then signalled to Ah Lo. On the instant two heavy hammers 
fell on the heads of the spikes. With three quick strokes 
they drove them up to the head in the touch-holes, 
then, throwing down the hammers, they started off at full 
speed. 

The soldiers shouted as they saw the spikes being driven 
in, but the strikers had gone some thirty or forty yards 
before they had sufficiently recovered from their surprise to 
think of pursuit. Rex and Ah Lo increased their lead to 
fifty yards before their pursuers had fairly got up their pace. 
They turned down the first lane they came to and then down 
another. Glancing back, Rex saw that so far they were hold- 
ing their own, except that two Boxers, swifter than the rest, 
were some yards ahead of the main body of their pursuers. 
The Chinamen, as they ran, set up a perpetual shouting, 
which did not improve their speed. 

“We must get rid of these two men,” said Rex, speaking 
for the first time since they started. “ Slacken your speed 
a little and let them come up to us, then suddenly turn round 
upon them.” 

“ All right, sir ! ” Ah Lo said. 

“ I shall use my revolver. Ah Lo, you can use either your 
revolver or your sword, whichever you like.” 

A minute later the two foremost of the pursuers came 
rushing upon them, but the sudden pause of the fugitives had 
left them no time to draw their swords. Rex’s revolver 
cracked out, laying one of them low, and Ah Lo, using his 
sword, struck the other with such force that he nearly decap- 
itated him. There was a shout of rage from the party 



REX’S REVOLVER CRACKED OUT, 











































IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


m 


behind. Rex and his companion, needless to say, did not stop 
to listen, but at once turned and continued their flight. They 
ran down till they were brought up suddenly at the end of a 
lane where a house rose straight in front of them. It was too 
late to retrace their steps. 

“ What is to be done, master ? ” Ah Lo asked. 

“We must break in the door, if it is not open.” 

The first door they tried, however, was unfastened. They 
entered, shot the bolt to, and ran to the back of the house. 
They were disappointed, however, for there was no opening 
through which they could escape. Without wasting time 
they turned and ran upstairs to a terrace on the top of the 
house. Here a number of clothes flapped in the wind ; it was 
evidently the family drying-ground. 

“We can defend this ladder for a bit, Ah Lo, but they 
must beat us in the end. Let us scramble up to the other end 
of the street.” 

Looking down they saw that the lane was now full of 
soldiers, some of whom carried lanterns. It was no easy 
matter getting along on the roofs, as the houses were irreg- 
ular in height. Sometimes they had to jump down ten or 
twelve feet, at others to help each other up walls of equal 
height. They were some distance along when they heard a 
sudden shout, and knew that their pursuers had broken down 
the door of the house and had entered, and another that told 
that the enemy had gained the roof and found that it was 
deserted. In a short time lanterns appeared on the roofs of 
some of the houses, but the fugitives were already within a 
house or two of the end of the lane. 

“ The streets are full of people,” Rex said, peering over. 
“We can’t get down here. We must jump upon the house 
behind; it is four or five feet lower than this, so we shall 
have no difficulty.” 


172 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


Without hesitation he stood upon the parapet behind and 
leapt. Ah Lo followed his example. 

“ Now,” said Rex, “ let us run down. The house will 
probably be empty, as the family is sure to run out to see 
what the row is about.” 

There were, indeed, some women standing in the lower 
room, and these gave a cry of astonishment when the two 
fugitives rushed past them through the open door and joined 
the people who were hurrying up to the other end of the 
lane. Now that they were mixed up in the crowd, Rex felt 
that there was little fear of being detected. Only the 
soldier they had been talking to would know their faces, and 
as he had been among the first to take up the pursuit he must 
now be down at the farther end of the next lane, or more 
probably on the roof of the house they had entered. As the 
crowd was already very dense, he could not possibly make his 
way back. 

Suddenly flames broke out from one of the houses they had 
crossed, and soon it was seen that other houses were on fire 
also. A cry of dismay broke from the Chinese standing 
near. They were accustomed to high-handed proceedings, for 
many houses had been burnt by the Boxers in the pursuit of 
plunder or in their indignation at failing to find any. They 
had now evidently fired the houses as the easiest way of de- 
stroying the fugitives, who had shown that they would sell 
their lives dearly. 

Gradually Rex and Ah Lo withdrew themselves to the 
edge of the excited crowd. Many of the people were already 
moving off to carry their goods from the houses in the ad- 
joining lanes, for the wind was blowing strong, and there was 
no saying how far the conflagration would spread, as the 
houses were but flimsy erections, being composed chiefly of 
bamboo and mud, which would catch like tinder when at- 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


173 


tacked by the flame. They moved away from the scene grad- 
ually, and without any appearance of haste. The alarm had 
evidently spread some distance, for they met a fire-bri- 
gade of men carying tubs of water slung on poles hurrying 
towards the spot. People were standing at their doors watch- 
ing the blaze, and calculating whether, if it spread, it would 
come their way. 

“ Well, Ah Lo,” Rex said, “you see it has not been a very 
dangerous business after all, and if those two soldiers we 
killed had not been so fast we might have got away without 
being pressed at all.” 

“ It was very unfortunate for them,” Ah Lo said quietly, 
“and I don’t suppose they knew what they were running 
for. Very few of them could have known that we had spiked 
the guns. It was lucky that those two houses were so close to 
each other that we were able to leap across, otherwise they 
might have had us.” 

“ I don’t think they would, even in that case, Ah Lo. We 
might really have gone down through that last house and 
joined the crowd there.” 

“We might, master, but I don’t think we could. Everyone 
had run to the streets by that time, and doubtless many were 
standing at their doors, and would have noticed two strange 
men running behind them.” 

“At any rate we are well out of it, Ah Lo. We can now 
walk quietly round and go up our ladder; but mind you do 
not say a word to anyone about this affair.” 

“ Why not, master ? ” Ah Lo asked in surprise. 

“For two or three reasons. In the first place, the gov- 
ernor might blame us for undertaking a business of that sort 
without asking permission. You see, although I did not 
think so at the time, any Chinaman coming along there and 
seeing that ladder might have gone and reported the fact. 


174 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


and by its means a large number of the enemy might have 
crossed the wall before they were discovered, and the safety 
of the garrison would then have been endangered. That is 
one reason. The next is, that I don’t want everyone to be 
making a fuss now that it is over. Some might blame me 
for my recklessness, while others might pat me on the back 
because of my success. That is a thing that I should specially 
hate. We did not do it for praise, but to be of service to 
the garrison. Eor these reasons I want you to hold your 
tongue, and not whisper a word to anyone. We are quite 
content that we have rendered good service to the Legation, 
saved many lives, and put the garrison in a position to repair 
damages unmolested. That ought to be satisfaction enough 
for anyone.” 

“Very good, master; Ah Lo will keep his mouth shut if 
master wishes it. He is not a talker, and now that he knows 
what master wishes he will do it.” 

Half an hour’s walking brought them to the foot of the 
ladder, and having climbed over the wall they coiled up the 
rope again, and Rex took it to the magazine and put it 
where he had found it. Then, satisfied that he had done a 
good piece of work, he went and lay down until it was his 
turn to go on sentry. 

The next morning there was considerable surprise when it 
was found that the two troublesome guns were silent. It 
was some time before there was any thought of making good 
the damage, but as the hours went by, and there was still no 
firing, a strong body of men was put on to repair the de- 
fences as fast as possible. 

Many were the surmises and conjectures circulated through 
the Residency as to the cause of the change. Some said that 
the Peace party had again got the upper hand, and that 
fresh terms had been offered. Others asserted that fresh 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


175 


cannon had been planted round the Residency, and that the 
others were to hold their fire till these were ready for action, 
when an overwhelming fire would be poured in. Some again 
were of opinion that the soldiers had mutinied on account 
of the heavy losses they had sustained without making any 
appreciable progress, while a few maintained that the reliev- 
ing army must be near at hand, and that every fighting-man 
had been sent out to oppose them. The next morning Sand- 
wich came into the room where Rex was eating his breakfast 
after being relieved from guard. 

“ You know, Rex,” he said excitedly, “ about those two 
guns being silenced.” 

“Yes. I suppose everyone in the Residency knows about 
it,” Rex replied quietly. 

“ I have just heard a report that your servant asserts that 
it was your doing.” 

Rex jumped up with an angry exclamation. 

“ The rascal ! I will break every bone in his body. He 
promised me faithfully that not a word about it should pass 
his lips.” 

“ Then it is really true ? ” Sandwich said in surprise. 

“ True ! Yes, but I was particularly anxious that it should 
not be known, so that I should escape the fuss that people 
are always ready to make about every little thing. I will go 
out and talk to Master Ah Lo. I can’t think how he can have 
spoken about it after his promises to me, for he has always 
proved himself a most faithful fellow. I can’t believe he did 
it to get a reward, but I don’t see any other motive that he 
can have had.” 

So saying he hurried out of the room, followed by Sand- 
wich, who in vain attempted to get some of the particulars 
from him. He found Ah Lo standing with the Provost 
Marshal’s hand on his shoulder. 


176 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Your servant has been making a row,” the latter said, 
“ and thrashing a servant of the Belgian embassy.” 

“Yes, sir, and I would thrash him again,” Ah Lo blurted 
out. 

“ What has he done ? ” Bex asked, calming down instantly 
on seeing his man in this predicament. 

“ It was like this, sir. The Belgian man came up to three 
or four of us who were standing together, and he said, ‘Do 
you know who did it? ’ So we all said ‘ No/ and I said it as 
loud as any of them. Then he said ‘ I did/ We all stood 
astonished, one as much as the other ; and he went on : ‘I 
crept out of the Russian Legation and made my way through 
the market and got up to the guns and silenced them ! ’ 
Then, sir, I was furious, and I shouted, ‘You are a liar! 
my master did it/ and I seized him by the throat and beat 
him. I know I was wrong, master, to say anything about 
you, but my rage was too great for me to think what I was 
saying. Then others ran in, and of course the Provost Mar- 
shal came, and having once said it, of course I repeated it.” 

“You were wrong, Ah Lo, but at the same time I can 
make allowances for your indignation. Now that the thing 
has begun it must be gone through with. Provost, will you 
take this man before Sir Claude Macdonald? We will go 
too, and I think between us we will get at the truth of the 
matter.” 

“ I am ready,” the Belgian said, “ you both wish to win my 
honour and reward from me, after my risking my life. Sir 
Claude Macdonald will soon see which story is true.” 

“ I have no doubt he will,” Bex said. “We had better go 
at once, Provost, or we shall have the whole of the Legation 
here,” for a crowd was rapidly gathering round them. 

When they reached the ambassador’s quarters the Provost 
went in first to acquaint him with the cause of the dispute, 


IN THE ENEMY’S CAMP 


177 


and then the others entered. Sir Claude acknowledged Rex’s 
salute, and then, turning to the Belgian, said: “As you 
seem to have made the first claim to this honour, I shall be 
obliged if you will give me the account of how you 
managed it.” 

“ I went out through the back of the Russian embassy,” 
the man said; “there is a little tower close to the corner.” 

“ But that is known to be full of Chinese.” 

“It was full,” the man said, “but they were all asleep. 
Then I passed through the market-place unobserved.” 

“ How was that ? ” Sir Claude asked. “ Only the night 
before we made a sortie, and found the place held in great 
force.” 

“ They must all have gone out,” the man said ; “ I saw none 
of them. Then, creeping very cautiously, I got to the guns,” 
he continued. “ The soldiers there were also asleep, and I 
silenced the guns without difficulty.” 

“ And how did you do that? ” Sir Claude asked. 

“ I,” the man hesitated, “ poured some water into the 
touch-holes from the pitcher I had brought with me. Then I 
returned the way that I had come.” 

Sir Claude waved his hand with a gesture of contempt. 

“ Water could only have silenced the guns for five min- 
utes,” he said. “You know of no better way of silencing 
them ? ” 

The man hesitated. 

“ I might have thrown them off the carriage,” he said, “ but 
I was afraid of doing this, as it might have awakened the 
men.” 

“ I should think it would,” Sir Claude said quietly, “ and 
if you had had the strength of ten men you could not have 
got them over. Mr. Bateman, will you kindly give me your 
account of the affair?” 


178 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ I am sorry, sir, to give any account at all, for I had 
particularly ordered my servant not to open his lips on the 
subject. Enraged at this fellow’s preposterous claim, how- 
ever, he lost his temper and blurted out the truth. It was 
a very simple affair, sir, though not so simple, I own, as this 
gentleman’s exploit, for I did not find the whole of the 
Chinese army asleep.” He then related the steps they had 
taken, their pursuit and escape. 

“You agree in every particular with what your master 
has said ? ” Sir Claude asked Ah Lo. 

“ He tell it all right; just so, that just how it happen.” 

“ Provost Marshal,” Sir Claude said quietly, “ take that 
man out and give him three dozen well laid on for his 
infamous attempt to gain credit and reward at the expense 
of others.” 

The Provost bowed and left the room with his prisoner, 
who began to howl for mercy. 

“ Now, Mr. Bateman,” Sir Claude said, turning to Bex, “ I 
hardly know whether to praise or blame you. This is the 
third dangerous expedition you have made on your own 
account, and, like the others, it has been successful. Still, 
as I told you on the last occasion, while shut up here, you, 
although a civilian, are subject to military rule, and it is 
strictly forbidden for anyone to leave the circle of the 
defences without permission. For doing this I cannot but 
speak severely. On the other hand, the advantages which 
have been attained by your silencing those guns are quite 
inestimable. Their fire menaced our defences most seriously, 
and if it had continued many hours longer we should have 
been exposed to a desperate attack by that half-frenzied mob. 
That attack we might have repulsed or we might not, but 
assuredly it would have taxed our strength to the utmost, 
and even if the first had been unsuccessful, the second might 


IN THE ENEMY S CAMP 


179 


not have been. I thank you, sir, in the name of the whole 
of the garrison, foreign as well as British, for the service 
you have rendered us. Already the defences have been so 
far repaired as to enable use to withstand any sudden attack; 
very soon they will be still stronger. If we succeed in 
winning our deliverance and holding out till the relieving 
column arrives it will be to no small extent due to your 
courage and pluck. It must add considerably to your 
pleasure to know that your cousins are among those who 
will benefit by your bravery .” 

“ I am greatly pleased and honoured by your approval, 
sir,” Rex said, “ but I would very much rather that the affair 
had not been known at all. I carried it out assuredly with- 
out any wish of gaining credit, but simply for the good of 
the garrison, and I should very greatly have preferred escap- 
ing the talk and congratulation that I shall now have to 
submit to.” 

Sir Claude smiled. 

“ My dear lad,” he said, “ it is only right that the great 
deeds men do should be known, if only as an example to 
others. If we all shrank from danger there would be few 
great deeds. You know the old saying, ‘to the victor is the 
wreath/ and it is only right that it should be so. It is one 
thing to glorify yourself and another to be glorified by 
others. Ah Lo, here are fifty guineas from me as a mark 
of my approbation of the manner in which you assisted your 
master in carrying out this undertaking.” 

In a very short time the story was known throughout the 
Residencies, and Rex received so many congratulations and 
so much praise that he determined to leave Pekin as soon as 
possible and try to join the relieving column. 


CHAPTER X 


A MISSION 

mHE next morning there was a serious alarm. The Italians 
and Austrians fell back suddenly under a strong and 
violent attack, and had the Chinese pressed their advantage 
the Fu must have fallen and the British Legation have been 
laid open to attack on that side. Fortunately, on a pre- 
vious occasion the Japanese had made a sham retreat, and, 
having induced the enemy to follow them, had then inflicted 
heavy loss upon them. Fearing a renewal of this strategy the 
Chinese fell back, and the Italian commander was able to 
rally his forces and reoccupy the abandoned position. The 
result showed, however, that the Italians could not be trusted 
to hold their ground without support, and consequently a 
small body of British marines were added to the garrison, an 
event that caused almost as much excitement as the return of 
a native messenger sent out in the morning by Mr. Squiers 
of the United States Legation. 

This man reported th$t he had gone out by one gate and 
had come in by another. He said there were no soldiers in 
the Chinese city, that business was being carried on as usual 
inside the Chien Men, the gate by which Rex had entered 
the city. To prove his statement he brought in with him a 
couple of chickens and a few peaches. He also reported that 
the Emperor and Empress were still in the city, and that the 
French and native converts still held out at the North 
Cathedral. 


180 


A MISSION 


181 


While discussing the matter afterwards Rex said to Sand- 
wich: “The report quite bears out what I have said; there 
is no difficulty in going out of or getting into the city from 
the north side.” 

“ That seems to be so, but that does not show that it is at 
all easy to enter the Forbidden City, still less to reach the 
Empress. The question is: Where is Prince Ching? It 
seems to me that he is the chap that we want to get hold of.” 

“It is certain that he disapproves altogether of the pro- 
ceedings of the Empress and Prince Tung, and the sounds 
of firing which we have heard several times in the city can 
only be accounted for by the supposition that his troops are 
fighting Tung’s. Of course Ching lives somewhere in the 
Imperial City, and as the Northern Cathedral stands in that 
part, there must be some way of getting in.” 

“You are not thinking of carrying him off, are you?” 

“ No, I should like to carry Tung off, so that we could 
stick him up in some prominent position and send him word 
that we should cut his head off if the troops attacking us did 
not withdraw. No, I had no intention of doing any carrying- 
off, but I was thinking that it would be possible to take out a 
message to Ching of a friendly character, of course from Sir 
Claude.” 

“ That is not quite such an impossible business,” Sand- 
wich admitted, “though the betting would be a hundred to 
one against your being able to see him.” 

“ Well, of course, it would be difficult, hut one could not 
say how difficult till one tried. Nevertheless, as that mes- 
senger went out this morning and came in again, it is 
evident that things are going on pretty well as usual in the 
town, except round here, and that people walk about without 
being questioned or interfered with.” 

Rex thought the matter over all day while he was at work, 


182 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


and after his duty was over went into the Residency and 
asked to see the Minister. After waiting half an hour he 
was shown in. 

“ How are you, Mr. Bateman ? ” Sir Claude said. “ I have 
not seen you for the past fortnight. Can I do anything for 
you ? ” 

“ Well, sir, you know that this morning one of the natives 
under Mr. Squiers went into the town and came out again 
safely ? ” 

The Minister nodded. 

“ Well, sir, what one man has done another might do. I 
have thought that you might like to communicate with 
Prince Ching.” 

“ I should certainly like to do so if it were possible.” 

“ In that case, sir, I should be glad to try to take a com- 
munication to him. I have passed out several times as a 
Chinaman without exciting the slightest suspicion, and it 
seems to me that I could at any rate reach Ching’s Palace 
without any special danger. How I should obtain an audience 
with him would, of course, depend upon circumstances, and I 
should guide myself by these when I got there. I do not at 
all say that I should succeed, but it seems to me that it would 
be well worth trying if you are desirous of communicating 
with him.” 

“ It is a bold proposal, Mr. Bateman, a very bold proposal. 
Certainly I should like to communicate with Ching, and to 
learn from him how he really stands affected towards us, 
what the Empress’s intentions are, and to what extent Tung 
and his partisans influence her. Of course it would be a 
joint letter, signed by all of us — but it would be a fearfully 
dangerous service. As he is at enmity with Tung, and prob- 
ably in bad repute with the Empress, he would he sure to be 
surrounded with guards and soldiers. Even if you were to 


A MISSION 


183 


reach him, you might not be safe. At the beginning of the 
trouble, he certainly assured us of his regard^ and did his 
best to prevent Tung and the Boxers from attacking us, but 
there is no saying what his opinions may be now. Seeing 
how far the others have gone, he may have ceased to oppose 
them, and might either have you put to death or hand you 
over to the Empress.” 

“ I am perfectly well aware that there is danger, sir, but 
if there is a chance of my mission succeeding, or of con- 
ferring any benefit upon all here, I should be ready to under- 
take it. I do not engage to deliver the communication, but 
I will at least do all in my power to do so. Everyone here is 
risking his life every half-hour, and I do not think that I 
should be risking mine to any greater extent than the officers 
in the Fu, or indeed those at any of the barricades.” 

“ At any rate, Mr. Bateman, I thank you for the offer. We 
shall have, as usual, a council this evening of all the Min- 
isters, and I will discuss your offer with my colleagues. Have 
you thought what character you will go in ? ” 

“ I should say either a Chinese bonze or a Buddhist priest. 
It seems to me that in either of these I should find it easier 
to obtain access to him than in any other character, except 
perhaps in that of a high-class mandarin. This would be in 
several respects the best, but I should have to be attended by 
at least four men. Of course my own man could be one, 
and the others could be natives got up in suitable attire.” 

“ That would certainly be the most appropriate. Perhaps 
as a second- or third-class mandarin, with two attendants, 
you might succeed as well. If you went as a first-class man- 
darin you might easily be recognized; whereas, as a third- 
class mandarin you might have arrived from the provinces 
and so be unknown. Well, I will think it over, Mr. Bateman. 

I should certainly be very glad to learn what Ching’s real 


184 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


opinions are, and how far he will be inclined to aid us. Will 
you look in again to-night at ten o’clock ? ” 

“Yes, sir, and I hope you will have decided to make me 
useful.” 

Rex said nothing either to his cousins or to Sandwich of 
the offer he had made, but he had a long talk with Ah Lo 
about it. 

“ I don’t think there will be any difficulty in getting to the 
king’s palace, master, but I cannot say whether you could 
get into the palace. Ching will no doubt always have people 
with him. If he has, what would you say? You could not 
declare who you were before others.” 

“No. I agree that that would be a difficulty.” 

“ I should be afraid that he would always have people with 
him.” 

“ Yes. I rather reckon upon there being a crowd. I ex- 
pect the ante-room would be full, and my idea is that, if 
possible, I should slip away from the crowd and gain his 
private apartments, so that I might meet him after he had 
given his audience for the day. If I found that impossible, 
I should have to pray, when my time to speak to him came, 
for a private audience. If he demurred to this I could hand 
him my card, on which would be written in Chinese that I 
had come from Sir Claude Macdonald and implored a private 
interview. Of course it is possible that he might order me 
to be arrested, but it is more likely that he would see me. It 
is just a toss-up. If he is really friendly to us, I should be 
safe. If, on the other hand, he has only been playing, as so 
many of them do play, a double part, he might send me to 
Tung or the Empress for instant execution. In that case, 
of course, my only chance would be that you and the three 
men with you could effect a rescue, and that, of course, must 
depend on how many guards are sent with me.” 


A MISSION 


185 


At the appointed hour Rex again went to the quarters of 
the British Ambassador. 

“ We have talked the matter over, Mr. Bateman. It is not 
a mission that we should think of asking anyone to under- 
take, but undoubtedly good might come of it, and at any 
rate, you will gather much valuable information. We there- 
fore do not like to decline the offer you have made, so to- 
morrow morning we will have a letter to Ching written. 
What disguise have you settled upon ? ” 

“I think, sir, a mandarin of the third or fourth class 
would be the most suitable.” 

“ The only thing against that is that we have no appro- 
priate clothes and no means of obtaining them.” 

“ I was afraid that might be so, sir. In that case I 
might either be a Buddhist priest, whose garments could be 
made out of anything, or a respectable land-owner, who might 
reasonably wish to hand in some petition or complaint of 
bad conduct on the part of Ching’s troops, or to ask for an 
order of protection against them.” 

“ That would be certainly much easier, so far as the 
costume goes. A land-owner might very well have a couple 
of armed retainers, and would, I should think, have as good 
a chance of obtaining an audience as a mandarin of low 
rank.” 

“ I should be glad to have a map of the town, sir, in 
order that I may see the exact position of the prince’s 
palace.” 

“ That is easy enough ” ; and Sir Claude opened a bureau 
and drew out a large map. 

“That is Ching’s palace,” he said; “it is, as you see, by 
the side of the lake, about half-way between the Northern 
Cathedral and the bridge across the lake.” 

Rex examined the map carefully. 


180 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Thank you, sir ! ” he said when he had finished. “ I shall 
be able to make my way there without difficulty.” 

“ I will give orders for the dress to be made ; that and the 
letter to Ching shall be ready to-morrow afternoon, and I 
will request Mr. Cockburn to choose one of his most reliable 
men to accompany your man as an attendant. I need hardly 
say that it would be well not to mention to anyone what you 
are going to do. We have every reason to believe that in 
some way or other the Chinese get accurate information of 
all that passes here. Will you go out in broad daylight? ” 

“ No, sir. I could scarcely hope to get out in that way. 
The Chinese are quietest toward morning, and by sallying 
out from the barricade near the Russian Consulate, I may be 
able to pass, as Mr. Squiers’s messenger did, through the 
Chien Men. Once through that, I should be perfectly safe, 
and could go round and enter by the Si Chi Men. After 
that I should be quite master of my own movements, and, 
making my way round behind the city, might enter the 
Imperial City by the How Men, and, passing between the 
Northern Cathedral and wall, make my way to Prince 
Ching’s palace. The fact that I was going with a petition 
to him would be sufficient as an answer to any enquiries that 
might be made. It would be well that I should be furnished 
with a set of petitions in the usual form, asking for pro- 
tection against the rough doings of some of his soldiers who 
had carried off several of my beasts and threatened me with 
personal violence.” 

“ A very good idea ; that shall be ready for you with my 
letter.” 

At two o’clock the next day Rex obtained the documents, 
together with a pass to let him through the barricade, and 
some clothes that had been made for him, appropriate to the 
character that he was going to assume. Going to Mr. Cock- 


A MISSION’ 


187 


burn he found the native ready for him. He was a strong, 
powerful man, who carried a native shield and a long broad- 
sword and dagger, and who would have attracted no notice 
as a retainer of a well-to-do farmer. Ah Lo had obtained 
similar weapons from a heap of those that had been taken 
from the enemy who had fallen in the attacks upon our 
barricades. Rex directed the Chinaman to join Ah Lo in 
the evening, and to keep by his side. He himself passed the 
evening as usual with his friends. 

The next morning at four o’clock he put on his disguise. 
After the others had gone to sleep he had got up and shaved 
his head, with the exception of a top knot, and to this, before 
starting, he fastened a pig-tail, which he curled up under a 
broad native hat. He placed his pistols out of sight under 
his girdle and put on a native sword. Then he made his 
way out to the spot where Ah Lo and the other man were 
lying. Both of them were awake, and at once rose and 
followed him. The Russian officer in charge of the barricade 
made some little demur at allowing him to go out, in spite 
of the pass, but when Rex made himself known to him he 
changed his attitude. The officer looked at him in sur- 
prise. 

“You are well disguised, indeed, Mr. Bateman,” he said; 
“ even knowing you as well as I do, I should not recognize 
you. You are going on a mission, I suppose?” 

“ Yes, I am going to see what the state of things is in the 
town.” 

Keeping carefully in the shadow of such houses as were 
still standing, Rex, followed by the two men, made his way 
along noiselessly, and, reaching the Tung Pien Men, passed 
out without interruption. They walked on till they were 
near the next gate, and when day had fairly broken, 
and the country people had begun to arrive, they entered 


188 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


with them and then moved quietly along the streets, looking 
into the shops. No one paid the slightest attention to them. 
There were many soldiers about, but few Boxers, who ap- 
peared to have fallen quite into the background since the 
regular troops took the siege in hand. It was supposed that 
they had been sent out of the city to be drilled and dis- 
ciplined by regular officers, as these men were far more 
turbulent than the regular soldiers, whose conduct was 

orderly, and who in no way interfered with the populace. 

Their disappearance greatly diminished the danger of pas- 
sage through the streets. 

It took the little party two or three hours to make the 
circuit of the walls of the Imperial City. When they 

arrived at the gate near the Northern Cathedral Hex was 

glad to find that the French priests and their Christian con- 
verts were still holding out gallantly. Nevertheless he could 
not help feeling great anxiety for them. The position was 
certainly a strong one, but it seemed hardly possible that 
sufficient food could have been collected to enable them to 
support themselves during a prolonged siege. From this 
point he went round towards Prince Ching’s palace. Many 
soldiers were loitering about in front of the palace, and 
people of all sorts — officers, peasants, merchants, and others 
— were going in and out. Leaving his followers he entered 
the large hall. No questions were asked, and after waiting 
a short time he went up to one of the officials. 

“ I desire an audience with the prince,” he said. 

“ Well,” the man said, “ you see how many there are be- 
fore you. There is little chance that you will get an audi- 
ence to-day.” 

“ This is an urgent matter,” Bex said, and slipped four 
taels into the man’s hand. 

The official nodded significantly, and half an hour later 


A MISSION 


189 


showed him into the apartment where Ching was sitting with 
two or three secretaries. 

Rex bowed to the ground. 

“ Your servant would request a private audience,” he said. 
“ I have letters of importance to submit to your Excellency, 
and pray that you will receive me in private.” 

After a moment’s hesitation the prince signed to the secre- 
taries to withdraw. 

“Your Highness,” Rex continued, as soon as they were 
alone, “ I am not what I seem. I have come as a messenger 
from the British Minister, but as I could not make my way 
through the streets in my own costume, I have been obliged 
to adopt a disguise.” 

“ The disguise is good,” the prince said. “ I should cer- 
tainly have taken you for what you pretend to be.” 

Rex handed to him the Minister’s letter. The prince read 
it carefully. 

“ I am anxious,” he said, “ to bring about peace, and have 
kept my soldiers from joining in the attack on the Legations. 
Unfortunately I can do little more. The Empress listens to 
the advice of Prince Tung and Prince Tuan. Hitherto at 
times she has inclined towards my advice, but unfortunately 
her sympathies are the other way. At present, however, she 
begins to doubt whether she has been wise in incurring the 
enmity of all the European powers together. I had an inter- 
view with her last night, and pointed out that Japan alone 
had in the last war proved herself victorious over us. Since 
then our army has undoubtedly increased in strength, has 
obtained large quantities of modern weapons, and has gained 
in discipline. At the same time we are now opposed not by 
the Japanese alone, but by the Russians and all the European 
powers. We might, it is true, overcome the Legations, but 
of what real benefit would that be to us ? Before three months 


190 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


had passed, an army of overwhelming strength would advance 
against Pekin, and no force that we could raise would have 
any chance of victory against it. What would be the conse- 
quence? We should have to submit, as we have done in 
previous wars, to great losses of territory, to the payment of 
a vast sum of money, and possibly even the dynasty would 
be endangered. 

<( The Empress listened to my arguments, but said that we 
had gone too far now to draw back. However, she said that 
she would turn the matter over in her mind. I have seen a 
considerable change in her demeanour in the last four or five 
days. Up to that time she would not even listen to me, 
and although she has always shown great friendship for me, 
I have expected every day to be relieved from all my func- 
tions. But the failure of the attempts of her troops to 
capture the Legations, as she had been assured by her ad- 
visers they would do, have preyed upon her. She is restless 
and irritable, and I believe she begins to doubt. 

“ The British Minister begs me to try to intervene again, 
and bring about a truce, until, at any rate, the course of 
events at Tientsin is seen. At present there is hard fighting 
going on round that place. It is difficult even for us to know 
what is passing, for naturally your commanders get the best 
of matters. It is certain, however, that we are not gaining 
ground, and that in a very short time many troops will come 
up from the ships. I am to see the Empress again this 
evening, and will use all my efforts to get her to order that 
hostilities shall cease for the present. I can point out that 
she cannot lose by so doing; the provisions must be running 
short, and your people, if they find that no relief can come 
to them, will be forced to surrender without further fighting. 
I shall urge upon her that these continued repulses of their 
attacks can but dishearten her troops, and that in all respects 


A MISSION 


191 


she will benefit by a cessation of the fighting. I think that 
she is more and more coming to doubt whether she has acted 
wisely in allowing Prince Tung and the others of that party 
to influence her. A week ago I had lost all influence over 
her ; now, although I am by no means restored to favour, she 
listens to me with more patience. 

“ Well, will you tell your Minister that I do not like to 
write to him, because you may be detected and seized on 
your way back, but that I am still friendly to you all, and 
will do my best this evening to bring about the cessation of 
hostilities. Say that although I may fail this time I feel 
sure that the attacks will cease in the course of a day or two, 
for I know that there is considerable discontent amongst the 
troops at the loss that they are suffering and their failure 
to make headway. They are also greatly dissatisfied with 
their leaders, and say that if they were all ordered to attack 
at once, instead of merely firing from a distance, they would 
certainly succeed. Will you say to the British Minister that 
I most cordially reciprocate his assurance of good-will, and 
trust that in the future I may again have the pleasure of 
meeting him personally. If I am successful this evening 
I shall take means to inform him that all serious attacks 
will cease. I do not say that there may be no more firing, 
for the troops are very much out of hand, and we cannot 
leave the Boxers out of account. There may, therefore, be 
desultory firing, but no real attack, unless indeed an army 
is advancing against us, in which case I fear there will be 
a renewal of hard fighting, in the first place because the 
troops will be worked up to a state of fury, and in the second 
because Prince Tung and the others will desire above all 
things to get the occupants of the Legations into their power 
to use them as hostages for obtaining good terms for them- 
selves.” 


192 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN - 


“ I am indeed greatly obliged to your Highness/- said Eex. 
“ May I ask if you will place your signature to this petition 
of mine that my farm is to be respected by all bodies of 
troops or Boxers? that will secure my passage out of the 
town if I should be interrogated.” 

“A wise precaution,” the prince said, as he attached his 
signature to the paper. “ You are a brave young man ; what 
is your name ? ” 

“ My name is Bateman,” Eex replied. “ I am not a resi- 
dent of Pekin, and am only here because I brought two 
young ladies, relations of mine, from Chafui, where they 
were in danger of being slain, their father and mother and 
the other members of the missionary settlement having been 
already murdered.” 

A flash of amusement passed over the usually impassive 
face of the prince. 

“ I heard,” he said, “ that the governor’s yamen was burned, 
and the report of the affair stated that two female captives, 
who were to have been executed on the following day, per- 
ished. It is possible that you had a hand in that.” 

Eex smiled. 

“I had a little to do with it, your Highness, and I can 
assure you that the two captives did not perish there.” 

“ I will ask no questions,” the prince said ; “ it is clear that 
you are a brave young man, and I trust that whatever 
happens here you will escape.” 

Eex now took his leave. The people in the ante-room 
looked at him with some curiosity and not without hostility 
because of the time that his interview had lasted. He passed 
out quietly, however, without looking to right or left, and 
made his way towards the cathedral, where he was joined by 
his followers. He had a vague hope that he might be able to 
communicate with those besieged in the cathedral and learn 


A MISSION- 


193 


the state of their supplies, but he found that the investment 
of the place was complete. The cathedral and the adjoining 
building, however, were very strong, and he felt sure that they 
could repel every attack, and that if they yielded it must be 
to famine. 

Making his way through the town he was more than once 
stopped and questioned by bodies of soldiers; but his story, 
supported as it was by Prince Ching’s signature to his peti- 
tion, at once removed all suspicion, and he sallied out 
through the Si Chi Men without hindrance. He remained 
in the fields until after dark, then entered by the Tung Pien 
Men, and made his way along the foot of the wall in the 
Chinese city till he reached the end of Legation Street. 
Shots were being exchanged with such frequency that he did 
not dare to go farther, so he and his followers lay down in 
the ruin of the American Methodist building. Towards 
morning, the firing having ceased, they crawled forward to 
within fifty yards of the barrier, then, standing up, ran for- 
ward, Rex shouting : “ Don’t fire, I am an Englishman.” 

“ Who are you ? ” asked the sergeant at the post. 

“ My name is Bateman,” said Rex, “ and I have been to 
the town on a mission from the British Minister.” 

“ Well, you had better climb over, whoever you are,” the 
sergeant said. “We can question you when you get inside, 
but you will be shot in less than no time if you stop 
there.” 

As he spoke a rifle cracked out and the ball struck a stone 
within an inch or two of Rex’s head. He and his followers 
scrambled over the barricade with alacrity, and, having satis- 
fied the guard of their identity, passed on through the Rus- 
sian Legation to the British head-quarters. He went straight 
to the room occupied by the students. Half of his comrades 
were away on guard, but Sandwich was in. 


194 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ So you are back again, Bateman ! ” Sandwich exclaimed. 
“ You have as many lives as a cat.” 

“ Well, I have run no risks this time. I have scarce had a 
question asked me since I left. There is really no reason 
whatever why natives from here shouldn’t go regularly into 
the city, providing they can get rid of whatever it is that 
shows that they are Christians.” 

“And you mean to say that you really had an interview 
with Prince Ching ? ” 

“ Yes, I have really done so, and I found him a very civil 
old Chinaman, and very well disposed towards us. He is 
going to try to bring about an armistice.” 

As soon as Bex had changed his clothes he went to the 
Minister’s and related to him the interview he had had with 
Prince Ching. 

u I am greatly obliged to you, Mr. Bateman. What you 
tell me confirms the view that we have all along held, that 
Ching and some of the other Chinese officials are altogether 
opposed to the proceedings of Prince Tung. I can only hope 
that his influence will this time prevail, and that the Chinese 
will grant an armistice. I don’t suppose that such an agree- 
ment will be well kept, but at least we shall have an easier 
time of it. It is probable that stirring events are going on at 
Tientsin. We know that the Taku Forts have been taken, 
and the Chinese may be willing to hold their hands until 
they see the result. They must know that provisions here 
will run short soon, and as they lose heavily in every fight it 
would be easier for them to wait and let famine do its work.” 

Two hours later a bugle was blown and a man came in 
with a letter from Prince Ching saying that he heard with 
gratification that the Foreign Ministers were all well, and 
that he now requested them to take their families and the 
members of their staff and leave the Legations in detach- 


A MISSION- 


195 


merits. Officers would be waiting to give them strict protec- 
tion, and temporary accommodation would be found for them 
in the Tsung-li-yamen pending future arrangements for 
their return home, in order that friendly relations might be 
preserved. 

The Ministers were all agreed that although this invitation 
could certainly not be accepted, it was a proof that the 
Chinese considered it impossible to capture the Legations, 
and for a time at least no further serious attacks would be 
made. Directly the meeting of the Ministers was over and 
their decision known, Rex went to see Sir Claude Mac- 
donald. 

“ I have come to ask you for permission to make my way 
out. I am convinced from what Ching has said that there 
will be no more very serious fighting until perhaps a relief 
force moves forward, when they may make a last desperate 
attempt to capture the place. My father and mother are at 
Tientsin, where I am anxious to rejoin them. I have no 
fear whatever of being unable to get down, and my report 
of the situation here may have much influence upon the 
starting of the relief force. It is most essential that this 
should not be made in inadequate force. It is certain that 
the advance would be met with the whole strength of the 
Chinese army, which is not contemptible, and the failure of 
another attempt would be most disastrous for you here.” 

“ Yes, that is most important,” the Minister said, “ and as 
we could defend ourselves here for some little time yet it is 
better that the column should not advance until it is strong 
enough to overcome all opposition. After all you have 
already done I have no doubt that you will be able to get into 
Tientsin without difficulty. When do you propose to 
start ? ” 

“ As soon as it is dark, sir. I shall make my way out b# 


196 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


the Tung Pien gate, follow the canal for some distance, and 
then strike for the river. I shall walk all night, lie up during 
the next day, and get near Tientsin by the following morn- 
ing. I shall then see my best way to enter.” 

“You will hardly do it in two nights’ walking.” 

“ My man and I are both good walkers, sir. It would be 
about five-and-forty miles each night, but I think that we 
can do that; I am most anxious to get home.” 

After leaving the Minister, Rex went to the girls. 

“ I am going away again,” he said. “ I can leave you now 
without anxiety, for I am convinced that the Chinese can 
never take the place. I shall come up with the next relief 
column.” 

“We are very sorry that you are going, Rex, but really 
you do such rash things here that I think you will be safer 
away. If you remain we shall have you volunteering next to 
carry the Empress olf.” 

“ There was no rashness in my going into the city, Jenny. 
I was dressed just like everyone else and attracted no atten- 
tion whatever. There is little danger in going down to Tien- 
tsin, though there may be some risk perhaps in getting into 
the town. At any rate I can leave you here with confidence. 
If I thought that there was any doubt about it I should take 
you both down with me now; but we should be at least five 
days instead of two, and the risk would therefore be much 
greater, and if the place should be besieged I might find it 
quite impossible to get you in.” 

“We would much rather stay here; we are very busy and 
are happy to be of use. Everyone is very kind to us, and we 
get on much better now than before we came to the hospital, 
for we have no time to think or grieve over the past. So you 
are going to-night ? ” 

“ Yes, we shall start directly the coast is clear, and we shall 


A MISSION 


197 


go out as we came in. Of course if there is heavy firing we 
must wait.” 

Rex and Ah Lo succeeded in slipping out of Pekin without 
attracting attention, and set out in the direction of Tientsin 
with all possible speed. They had not gone far, however, 
before they were compelled to hide from a band of Boxers. 
This happened several times within a very short period, and 
Rex at last decided that it would be safer for both if they 
were to proceed by different routes. At first Ah Lo would 
not consent to such a course, but in the end Rex’s arguments 
prevailed, and, having arranged to meet at a point near Tien- 
tsin, they shook hands and separated. 

Some hours later Rex was lying among some bushes near 
a river, where he had thrown himself down to rest, when 
suddenly the stillness was broken by a deep roar. Rex 
started and a cold shudder ran through him. He was not 
acquainted with the roar of a tiger, but had no doubt what- 
ever what it was. While they were chatting together one 
day his father had told him that tigers were by no means 
uncommon, especially in the jungle country near rivers, and 
that although they occasionally carried off cattle it was 
seldom that they meddled with the natives. He felt no doubt, 
however, that the animal he had heard was a tiger. It had 
probably been disturbed by the firing and the movements of 
numbers of armed men, and the thought that it was probably 
unusually hungry came across his mind. 

He listened eagerly, and when presently he heard a stealthy 
footfall, he drew his pistol from his belt and threw himself 
down, for he remembered having heard that tigers prefer 
living quarry to carrion. He had not lain thus long before 
he heard the animal breathing heavily. It came closer and 
closer ; he could hear it snuffing him from head to foot. Then 
it placed its paw upon him. The weight was great, but Rex, 


198 


WITH THE ALLIES' TO PEKIN 


who was lying on his face, still kept perfectly quiet. He 
held his breath for as long as possible and then took another 
breath, as gently and as silently as he could. Then he felt 
the animal remove its paw, and begin to walk round and 
round him. He remembered now that the river was but ten 
yards away, and that if he could but get a start he might 
possibly escape. But while he was considering the advis- 
ability of making a dash for it the tiger returned and seized 
him by the shoulder. Fortunately Bex had on a thick cloak, 
and though the pain was considerable, the animal was appar- 
ently only endeavouring to find out whether he were dead. 
The strain, however, was too great to be borne long. He felt 
that at any moment the animal might bite him in earnest, 
and that any movement on his part would certainly cause it 
to do so. Quietly, and gradually, he moved his arm upwards. 
The tiger gave an angry growl as he did so, and he felt the 
pressure of its teeth increasing. 

There was no time for hesitation now. He raised his arm 
gradually to the level of the tiger’s eyes and fired. With a 
sudden roar, the tiger leapt back. Bex was on his feet in an 
instant, and, making a dash for the river, he threw himself 
in. A moment later the tiger was on the bank. It fell in 
close to him and swam about confusedly until, at last, it 
regained the bank, and there it stood roaring. It was evident 
to Bex that he had partially or wholly blinded it. He struck 
out down stream, but a few strokes showed him that he was 
so completely shaken by the ordeal he had gone through that 
he could not long support himself. 

At this moment he saw that there was a junk lying ahead 
of him. A number of Chinamen on board were shouting and 
gesticulating, and as he watched them they began to fire in 
the direction of the tiger’s roars. Bex swam round to the 
other side of the junk, unseen by the excited natives; then, 


A MISSION 


199 


feeling too exhausted to go farther, he climbed up by means 
of the oars, which had been left in position by the rowers, 
and, diving down an open hatchway, threw himself on some- 
thing hard below. As he lay there he could hear the tiger 
roar terribly, but as the sound decreased he knew that the 
animal was moving away. 

The firing presently ceased, but the talking of the Chinese 
continued, and Rex guessed that they were discussing who 
had fired the shot. He heard a boat row ashore, but after a 
time this returned, having found no signs of the tiger or its 
supposed victim. When they returned, the din gradually 
subsided and all became quiet again. By this time Rex had 
recovered; his shoulder was almost powerless, but he man- 
aged to crawl back to the hatchway, and, raising himself, he 
looked out. 

The Chinamen were sitting about on the deck, some cook- 
ing and others smoking their little pipes. He thought it 
probable that after the excitement of the night they would 
remain up till morning, and in that case his risk of discovery 
was great. Doubtless he might hide himself in the cargo 
until that was discharged, but this might not be for some 
days, and he was anxious in the extreme to reach Tientsin as 
soon as possible. He therefore resolved to escape at once. 
He guessed that, with the exception of those who had gone 
ashore in the boat, the men would not have reloaded their 
firearms, and that, once ashore, he would be able to distance 
them. Several Chinamen were sitting between the hatch and 
the bulwark, but, climbing cautiously on deck, he reached the 
side of the vessel in a couple of strides and sprang over- 
board before anyone noticed him. There was a lull of 
surprise among the Chinese, and then a confused jabbering, 
followed by several musket shots. But Rex had dived, and 
having swum under water as long as he could hold his breath, 


200 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


he felt sure, when he came up, that he could no longer be 
distinctly seen in the darkness. 

Then he heard some of the men try to move the boat again, 
and instead of making direct for the shore, he swam along 
parallel to it, knowing that the boat would go a great deal 
faster than he could swim. He heard the shouts of the men 
as they landed, and then, turning, swam for the other side. 
When he reached the bank he crawled among the bushes and 
lay down. For some time he remained without moving, but 
suddenly he sprang to his feet; the tiger had begun to howl 
again, and it was but a short distance from him. He knew 
that even if the brute’s sight was entirely destroyed its scent 
would bring it towards him, and having much more fear of 
the tiger than of the men, he again jumped into the river. 
He could hear the shouts of the Chinese, and, judged by 
their number, that they had been joined by many of their 
companions on the junk. He remained in the water till 
morning dawned, when a savage yell told him that he had 
been discovered by the Chinese on the other side. 

The roar of the tiger had ceased, but he could hear its low 
moanings not far off. Nevertheless he felt that if he were to 
escape he must risk another encounter with the animal. He 
therefore made for the shore again, and climbed up on the 
bank. Looking back as he did so, he saw that the Chinese 
were leaping into their boat; then, without further delay he 
dashed in among the trees. When he reached the other side 
of the jungle he saw to his dismay a large number of Chinese 
soldiers in a village some three hundred yards away. He 
crept back again, therefore, among the bushes, and keeping 
just inside them moved cautiously along, taking the utmost 
pains not to show any signs of his presence. After proceed- 
ing a hundred yards or so in this way he approached the 
edge and looked out. A number of Chinese were just issuing 



THERE WAS A LULL OF SURPRISE, THEN A CONFUSED JABBERING, 
FOLLOWED BY SEVERAL MUSKET-SHOTS. 











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* 

































* 








A MISSION 


201 


from the bush, and one of them at once ran across towards 
the village. Rex moved forward again, this time leaving 
the edge and plunging into the heart of the jungle. 

The Chinese could not, he knew, have recognized his as a 
white man, but his extraordinary conduct in hiding in the 
junk, and the unusual method he adopted of leaving it, would 
have shown them that at any rate he was not one of them- 
selves, and would perhaps have suggested to them that he 
was going down with a message from Pekin. 

He was presently aware, by the loud shouting, that at least 
some of the soldiers had joined in the pursuit. The strip of 
jungle was of no great width, and as he could not therefore 
hope to escape by keeping to it, he made his way back 
towards the river. When he made the bank again he saw, 
to his satisfaction, that the boat in which his pursuers had 
crossed was lying only some fifty yards away, with but one 
Chinaman sitting in it. This man, he decided, must be 
silenced at any cost, for he would give the alarm the moment 
he was in the water. He therefore approached him as quietly 
as possible, keeping among the bushes until he was opposite 
to the boat. 

The Chinaman was evidently listening, for he was standing 
up in the boat, his attention probably attracted by the slight 
rustle Rex had made in coming along. Rex gathered himself 
together and sprang suddenly into the boat, grasping the 
Chinaman by the throat and rolling with him upon the floor- 
boards. He could have shot him easily enough, but he knew 
that the sound would draw all his pursuers to the spot, and 
so defeat his purpose. The Chinaman was a powerful man, 
but Rex had taken such a grip of his throat that he was 
unable to shake it off. The desperate conflict continued for 
a minute or two. Then the Chinaman’s struggles grew more 
feeble, his colour became almost black, his little eyes began 


202 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


to stare; indeed he seemed at the point of death. Rex was 
reluctant to kill the man, so he bound his arms tightly to his 
sides with a rope which he found in the boat, and stuffed his 
mouth was a piece of cloth which he cut from the man’s 
own coat. Then, leaving him lying senseless in the bottom, 
he seized one of the oars. 

As the channel was shallow, he was able to punt across, 
and as he did so he noted with satisfaction that the junk was 
so far away that those on board would take him for a native. 
On reaching the other side he jumped ashore, pushed the 
boat out into the stream with all his strength, and then, 
turning, made off as fast as he could go. After covering 
some two miles he reached the edge of the jungle. Here he 
halted, for he felt that he could not continue his journey by 
day without danger of discovery. He threw himself down on 
the ground. The events of the last few hours had completely 
exhausted him, and he now discovered that he had lost his bag 
of provisions ; probably he had left them where the tiger had 
attacked him. This was a great misfortune, for he had still, 
he calculated, at least thirty miles to pass before he reached 
Tientsin, and he might be kept some time outside that place 
before he could enter it. He waited until late in the after- 
noon, and then he felt that he must have some food. He 
therefore started again on his journey, and at last, after 
hesitating several times, determined to risk everything. He 
recharged his revolvers, and, waiting till night had quite 
fallen, made his way into the nearest village. 

He congratulated himself more than ever that he was able 
to speak Chinese, and he knew that the dialect differed so 
much in various parts of the country that although the peas- 
ants might see that he was not a native of their district, they 
would not guess that he was other than a Chinaman. He 
therefore entered a house where a light was burning, and 


A MISSION 


203 


said : “ I am sorely in need of feed. Will you sell me 
some ? ” 

The occupants of the cottage were an old man and an 
old woman. At his words they both looked up in some sur- 
prise. 

“ Where do you come from ? ” the woman asked. 

“ I come from the north,” he said, “ and am the bearer of a 
message to our general at Tientsin. I have travelled a long 
way and am hungry.” 

“ Are you a Boxer ? ” the old man asked. 

“ No,” he replied. “ My letter is from the Empress.” 

“ Well, well,” the old man said, “ it makes no difference to 
us. Did you see any Boxers on this side of the river as you 
came along?” 

“ No,” said Rex, “ they were on the other side.” 

The old man heaved a sigh of relief. 

“ They are terrible people,” he said, “ and though they 
fight against the white devils they plunder and kill us poor 
villagers, who have nothing to do with the affair.” 

“ They act badly,” Rex said ; “ and it is because I know 
that they kill before questioning that I am travelling on this 
side of the river.” 

“You do well,” the peasant said. “It is true that they 
have no mercy. We have now in the village several who 
have barely escaped with their lives from them by swimming 
across the river. They have told us terrible tales of their 
doings. But you are hungry; my wife will cook you some 
rice.*’ 

“ Do you mind shutting the door ? ” Rex asked. “ There 
might be someone in the village who, wishing to curry favour 
with the Boxers, might go and bring some of them over if he 
saw a stranger here.” 

“ I will do so,” the old man said, suiting the action to the 


204 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


word ; “ for although I think that there is none in the village 
who would do so treacherous an act, yet it is as well to take 
precautions.” 

The old woman set some rice to boil over a small fire, while 
the old man chatted with Rex. In twenty minutes the rice 
was ready, and, sitting down, he made a hearty meal, con- 
gratulating himself that during his journey with the girls 
he had learned to eat with chopsticks. 

He had just finished when the door opened and a man 
wearing the badge of the Boxers entered the room. 

“ Bring out what food you have ! ” the fellow said roughly ; 
“ all of it. There are many of us in the village ; it is of no 
use making resistance. We want to eat ourselves and to 
carry all there is here back to our comrades. Who is this? 
a son of yours?” 

“ No,” the old man said, “ he is a stranger, and bears a 
message from the Empress for your general at Tientsin.” 

“ Let me see it ! ” the man demanded. “ It is strange 
that you should come round this way, instead of going 
straight.” 

“ My message is to the general,” Rex said, “ and I give it 
to no one else.” 

“ But how are we to know that your story is true ? ” the 
Boxer said. “ This is not the way that a messenger from the 
Empress would come, and if she sent one it would not be by 
a fellow like you. Empresses do not entrust their messages 
to peasants. I believe you are a spy from the white devils 
at Pekin.” 

“ I can’t help what you believe,” Rex said quietly, “ nor do 
I mean to quarrel with you. I will therefore say to you, 
leave me alone and I will leave you alone.” 

“ Message or no message,” the Boxer said, “ I will soon 
satisfy myself.” And he drew his sword. 


A MISSION 


205 


Rex listened a moment through the open door. He could 
hear a great din and commotion; muskets were being dis- 
charged, and flames were bursting out from among the cot- 
tages. Feeling, therefore, that the sound of a pistol would 
hardly attract atention, he raised his weapon as the Boxer 
rushed at him, and shot the man through the head. 

The old peasant wrung his hands. 

u They will kill us all!” he cried; “they will show us no 
mercy ! ” 

“ Quick ! Help me to carry the body out at the back door, 
and to lay it down by the wall. The body will not be noticed 
there. Then I advise you and your wife to fly at once and 
hide in the jungle a few hundred yards away. There is no 
fear of their finding you, and in the morning you can come 
out again, if, as is most likely, they have gone.” 

The old man seized the dead Boxer by the legs, while Rex 
took him by the head, and together they removed him from 
the house. Then the old couple hurried away, after Rex had 
thrust some money into the man’s hand. 

“ That will go far to build up your cottage again,” he said ; 
“ but it is hardly likely that they will burn it when they find 
it empty.” 

So saying he turned away and continued his journey. He 
had gone but a couple of miles when he came suddenly upon 
a group of peasants, who were anxiously watching a light in 
the sky. 

“ Who are you ? ” they shouted as they seized him. 

“ I am a stranger in these parts ; I am on my way down 
from Pekin,” he said; “but I have come to warn you that 
the Boxers are near at hand.” 

“ That is a pretty tale,” one of them said derisively. 
“ There is no doubt that you are a spy of the Boxers come on 
in advance to know whether our village is worth plundering. 


206 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


Besides, we know that the Boxers have not yet crossed the 
river.” 

“ I can assure you that they have. That light you see there 
comes from the village three miles away. They have plun- 
dered it and set it on fire.” 

“ A nice story ! ” the spokesman of the party said. “ How 
then did you get away to give us word if you were not sent 
forward as a spy?” 

“ I was staying there overnight,” he said, u and while 
I was eating my supper the village was attacked, and I 
fled.” 

“ That will not do, my fine fellow. There is no doubt that 
you are a Boxer spy, and at least one of the cursed band shall 
die. Haul him along, fellows ! ” 

The men dragged Bex to the village, which was but a 
hundred yards away. There he was tied to a post while the 
villagers debated what death he should die. It was not 
pleasant to Bex to hear the details of his execution discussed, 
each one more horrible than another. They finally decided to 
burn him alive, and were bringing the faggots out of their 
houses for the purpose, when a sound of shouting and the 
clashing of weapons was borne towards them on the quiet 
night air. 

“ Listen ! ” he shouted, “ the Boxers are coming.” 

Everyone stood for a moment as still as a statue. Then 
a wild cry arose of “ The Boxers ! the Boxers ! ” and in an 
instant all Bex’s persecutors had fled, each to snatch some 
prized valuable in his house, and to fly before the Boxers 
arrived. As soon as they had left him, Bex struggled to free 
himself from his bonds. Fortunately the cords had not been 
tightly fastened, and after a prolonged and desperate effort 
he freed one hand; the rest was comparatively easy, and just 
as the Boxers were entering the village he tore himself free. 


A MISSION 


207 


He ran at the top of his speed till he felt that he was safe, 
and then he threw himself down exhausted. 

“ I have had a hard day of it indeed,” he said ; “ once 
mauled by a tiger, and three times nearly taken by the 
Boxers. If I get through this safely, I am not likely to leave 
Tientsin again until I come up with the relieving army. I 
have had more narrow escapes to-day than I have had in all 
my life, and I have no wish for a repetition of them. I 
am not sure if I do not prefer a tiger to these fanatical 
Boxers.” 

After lying for fully half an hour, he got up and con- 
tinued his way towards Tientsin. The rest of the journey 
was uneventful. At the appointed spot he met Ah Lo, who 
had managed to get down without adventure. After mutual 
congratulations, they made a hearty meal off some provisions 
which Ah Lo had been fortunate enough to get at the house 
of an old friend, Rex the while recounting his experiences. 
When they had finished, they cautiously approached the 
town. 

Working down to the east, they saw that heavy firing 
was going on from a large building which had been the 
Chinese military college, and in other parts of the town. 
The military college showed signs of having been heavily 
cannonaded. 

“ It is evident,” said Rex, “ that our fellows have taken that 
place, and that the Chinese are attacking it. We must wait 
till night, and then try and make our way in. I hope that the 
place is held by British troops, for if it is occupied by troops 
who don’t understand English, we are likely to be shot as we 
approach it.” 

Accordingly they lay down at the edge of a patch of high 
corn. 

“ At present,” said Rex, “ our men are taking the offensive ; 


208 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


the firing on the other side of the river is on the outside of 
the settlement. Admiral Seymour’s force can’t have retired 
beyond Tientsin; they must be holding the place, for cer- 
tainly the local Europeans would not have been strong 
enough to make a sortie, or to have captured that Chinese 
college. It is either that or else troops must have come up 
from Taku.” 

The truth was that fifteen hundred Russians had arrived 
after Admiral Seymour’s force had started. It was fortunate 
indeed that they had not arrived in time to join it, for if they 
had, Tientsin could not have made a successful resist- 
ance. 

All day the firing went on. Where they lay they could see 
that not only Boxers, but regular Chinese troops, were taking 
part in the attack. Several times the enemy made rushes 
almost up to the college, but each time they quailed before 
the heavy fire and turned back. At nightfall the fighting 
ceased, and Rex and his companion left their hiding-place 
and made their way round to the river below the military 
college, on which side no attack had been made. Groups of 
men were sitting about talking together, but by exercising 
great caution they succeeded in avoiding these, and at last 
approached the college. When they got nearer, Rex shouted : 
“ I am an Englishman with messages from Pekin ; don’t 
fire ! ” 

“ All right, mate ! ” came back in a hearty voice. “ But 
you must just stop where you are until I call an officer.” 

A minute later, a voice shouted : “ How many are there of 
you ? ” 

“ Only myself and one servant.” 

“All right! come on. As an Englishman you must be a 
friend.” 

A couple of minutes later Rex and Ah Lo entered the 


A MISSION 


209 


college. An officer with two men and a lantern met 
them. 

“ You may be an Englishman,” the officer said, “ but you 
look very unlike one.” 

“ If I hadn’t disguised myself I should not have got down 
here,” Bex said with a laugh. “My name is Bateman. I 
am the son of a merchant here. I went up with Admiral 
Seymour’s expedition, but left them when they came to a 
stand-still, and made my way into Pekin, where I have some 
relations.” 

“ Are they holding out all right ? ” the officer asked eagerly. 
“No news has come down for the past ten days. Isn’t 
Seymour there ? ” 

“ No. I am sorry to say he is not. Hasn’t he got back 
here ? ” 

“No. We have not heard of him since he started.” 

“ That is bad news indeed. He was getting very short of 
provisions when I left him. We heard firing as we came 
down to-day, some ten miles out. I know that there is a big 
Chinese arsenal out there. I only hope he has taken that 
and is defending himself.” 

“ And Pekin is safe still ? ” 

“Yes. We have been fighting hard for the past three 
weeks, and the garrison can hold out for some time longer; 
but the Chinese are gradually gaining ground. The French 
Legation is nearly destroyed, so is the American, and the 
Kussian is a good deal damaged. I hope, however, that 
fighting has stopped for the present. If it goes on again all 
will have to take to the British settlement. Now, how can I 
get across?” 

“ Well, you can’t get to the bridge now. Your only plan is 
to take a native boat — several of them are lying on the 
shore — and row across. We are going to blow up this place 


210 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


to-night, and level it to the ground; the men are all at work 
mining it. We only took it because it commands more or 
less all the streets running from the water. When we have 
levelled it we shall probably return again to the other side. 
Of course before going we shall also burn down all the 
Chinese houses on this side of the river.” 


CHAPTER XI 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 

R EX crossed the river with Ah Lo, and made his way to 
Mr. Bateman’s. He was received with delight, and both 
father and mother showered questions upon him as to the 
state of things in Pekin. 

“ There has been a lot of miscellaneous fighting,” he said, 

“ but the Chinese have not made many determined assaults, 
and in all cases have been readily beaten off. The attacks are 
slackening off now, I think the Chinese are getting pretty 
sick of it. When I left the garrison the girls were quite 
well. They are working as assistants to the lady who under- 
takes the cooking for the hospitals, and they therefore get, I 
think, rather better food than most people. At any rate they 
look very well, and I do think that the siege has been good 
for them, for they have not had time to mope over the 
death of their father and mother, as they would have done 
had I brought them down here. When it is all over, that 
horrible business will seem to them an age back. Indeed it 
seems so to me already. I can hardly believe that it is not 
much more than three weeks since I got them out. 

“Now, Father, how have you been getting on here?” 

“ Well, the fighting only began two days ago, but it has 
been pretty hot since then. Everyone who can carry a gun 
has been taking part in the defence. We have barricaded* 
the ends of all the streets, but I don’t think we could have 
held out long if it hadn’t been for the Russians, who came 

211 


212 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


up after Seymour left. By the way, what is the news of him ? 
We expected to hear ten days ago of his arrival at Pekin.” 

“ He never got up there, Father, I told you that I thought 
he wouldn’t. When they started they only took with them 
provisions for six days, and as the railway was everywhere 
pulled up, they had difficulty in taking even that with them. 
I don’t know how far they got, but it was certainly nowhere 
near Pekin. I believe they are now besieged at the arsenal, 
eight miles out. We heard heavy firing in that direction 
when we came along last night. Of course we had no idea 
then as to what it was, but I have no doubt whatever now. I 
must go at once and tell whoever is in command.” 

“ The Russian Colonel is at the head of affairs in virtue 
both of seniority of rank, and of being in command of the 
strongest force here. I don’t think he knows English, but he 
speaks French. I will ask Thompson, who I know speaks that 
language fluently, to accompany me to his house with you and 
act as interpreter. We expect some more troops up to-mor- 
row, and I have no doubt that, as soon as he has given our 
assailants here a good thrashing, he will send out a relief 
party to Seymour.” 

Mr. Thompson readily agreed to accompany them, and they 
proceeded together to the house of Colonel Wogack, the 
senior officer in Tientsin. When they sent in word that a 
messenger had arrived from Pekin they were at once ad- 
mitted. The colonel had just finished dinner. He had with 
him Colonel Anisimoff and Lieutenant- Colonel Shirinsky. 
Rex had changed his clothes before starting, and Mr. Thomp- 
son introduced him to the general as a gentleman who had 
just made his way down from Pekin. 

“ What is the news, sir ? ” the colonel asked in French. 

Rex related the state of affairs in the Legations. 

“ This is much better than we had hoped,” the colonel said 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


213 


warmly. “We have been in the greatest anxiety about the 
position, and several rumours have reached us that the Lega- 
tions had fallen. Are you the bearer of the message for me 
from the Ministers ? ” 

“ No, sir, I came down in disguise, and had I been seized 
and searched, any paper of that kind would have ensured my 
death. Sir Claude Macdonald, however, bade me give a full 
account of the position and of the fighting so far, and assure 
you that, although provisions were beginning to run short, 
they could maintain themselves for some time yet.” 

“ Have you heard anything, sir, about the relieving force ? ” 

“ I went up with them, but left them at Fantail and made 
my way into Pekin, bringing them the only news that they 
had received of the column. But, sir, on my way down I 
heard heavy firing in the direction of the Hsi-Ku arsenal. 
The only explanation of this that occurs to me is that the 
arsenal has been captured by Admiral Seymour, and that he 
is besieged there.” 

“ Why do you not think that he may be besieging it ? ” the 
colonel said sharply. 

“ Because, sir, they only had three days’ provisions when I 
left them, and must have been in a state of starvation when 
they arrived at the arsenal. Admiral Seymour would there- 
fore attack it for the sake of the stores it contained, and as 
he would no doubt lose heavily, he would not be in a position 
to cut his way down here.” 

“ Very well reasoned, sir. As soon as we can spare a force 
from here, we will go out to relieve him. Now, will you 
kindly give me a full detailed account of the fighting at 
Pekin and the state of the resources there ? ” 

“ May I ask if you speak Chinese, Colonel ? ” 

“ Certainly. I have resided for some years in Pekin.” 

“ Then in that case, sir,” Rex said, “ I shall tell you in that 


214 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


language, as the story is a long one, and it will be tedious to 
translate it sentence by sentence.” 

“It would certainly be more convenient,” the colonel 
said. 

Rex then told the story at length. He was saved much 
time in explaining the nature of the defences from the 
colonel’s knowledge of the ground. The Russian officer 
made several comments here and there. 

“ Why did they not hold the customs-house ? ” he asked. 
“ It was a strong building and but a short distance from the 
Fu.” 

“Yes, sir, but I believe that it was considered that the 
force was barely sufficient to hold the Legation. Indeed, 
the occupation of the Fu was to some extent an afterthought, 
and it was necessitated by the great number of the Chris- 
tian Chinese who came in for shelter, and for whom it was 
absolutely impossible to provide in the Legations. It was for 
the same reason that the Austrian, Italian, and Dutch Lega- 
tions and the Pekin Club were abandoned. A portion of the 
French Legation has been destroyed, also part of the Fu.” 

Then he related the incidents of each day’s fighting. 

“ Was our bank held as well as our Legation? ” the Russian 
asked. 

“ Yes. The line of defence went round the back and side 
of your Legation and the Russian Bank to the Tartar wall. 
On the other side it did not reach the Tartar wall.” 

The narration occupied more than an hour. At the end, 
Colonel Wogack thanked Rex very warmly for his infor- 
mation. 

“ It is all most valuable, and especially that part relating to 
Admiral Seymour’s expedition. I hope we shall get some 
more messengers through to Pekin, for it is clear that up to 
the time you left, the Chinese were gradually gaining ground. 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


215 


They have abundance of artillery, and if they were to bring it 
into play they could breach the walls and defences in half a 
dozen places in the course of twelve hours. What you tell me 
of your visit to Prince Ching affords a certain amount of 
hope, but there is never any depending on Chinamen. To- 
morrow the other party may get the upper hand again and 
fighting go on more earnestly than ever. Matters here have 
become much more serious in the course of the past day or 
so. Until the Taku forts were taken the Chinese regular 
troops held aloof from the Boxers, but now the Chinese 
regular troops have joined the Boxers, and we are likely 
to have hot work of it.” 

On their way home Bex told his father what the colonel 
had said. 

“ Yes,” he said. “ In the opinion of a good many men the 
summons to those fortresses to surrender was a mistake. Up 
till that time the affair might have been considered as an in- 
surrection; indeed, the Chinese troops several times fought 
the Boxers, but the attack on the Taku Forts was considered 
by the Chinese as a declaration of war on the part of the 
Powers. I don’t say that there is not a great deal to be said 
both ways. There was always the danger that the Chinese 
would unite against us, especially as the Empress openly up- 
held the Boxers. In that case it is certain that the available 
force on board the ships would not have sufficed to fight their 
way up here, and consequently Tientsin must have fallen, 
and Pekin also. It was therefore a most difficult question to 
decide. Our attack on the Taku Forts certainly had the 
effect of uniting the Chinese against us, but had that attack 
not been made, or had it been delayed, we should probably 
have had all the Chinese against us, with an inadequate 
force to oppose them, and Tientsin and Pekin would have 
been lost, and the life of every European in them sacrificed. 


216 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Come in, Mr. Thompson. We must get Rex to go over 
his narrative for our benefit. It need not be so full as that 
which he gave to the colonel, in the first place because we 
don’t know the position of all the Legations, so that details 
would be lost on us; in the next place, because it is getting 
late, and Rex has already had a long day of it.” 

It was not, however, till past midnight that Rex finished 
and they turned into bed. They were awakened an hour 
later by a series of loud explosions, which told that the 
sailors were engaged in blowing up the military college. In 
the morning Rex learned more of what had taken place. 
The Boxers had set fire to several places in the native city, 
and to the railway-station. They were beaten off, and a train 
was despatched to Tong-Ku, filled with women and children; 
the rest were ordered to take shelter in the Gordon Hall, 
the large municipal building in the British section. 

The next night the Boxers renewed the attack on the rail- 
way-station, but were again repulsed. On the following day 
they were joined by the Chinese troops, and from that time 
all communication with the Taku was cut off. That day the 
Military College was taken. 

An incessant fusillade was going on when Rex awoke some- 
what late the next morning. He dressed hastily and hurried 
down-stairs. 

“ What is up, Father ? Are they attacking us again ? ” 

“ They have occupied the college that we blew up last 
night, and are now keeping up a heavy fire from that shelter. 
When it gets dark we are all going to barricade the ends of 
the streets, as it would be impossible for us to move out of 
our houses during the day. The municipality have already 
met this morning, and it has been decided that all goods in 
the store-houses, with the exception of the valuable ones, shall 
be given up for the purpose. Fortunately there is a great 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


217 


quantity of sacks of wool and rice, both of which will do 
admirably for the purpose. The greater part of the volun- 
teers are occupied in the houses at the end of the street, 
where they answer the fire of the enemy; but the Chinese 
never show themselves. Did you notice the state of the river 
as you crossed it last night ?” 

“ No, Father.” 

“ It was just as well that you didn’t, my boy, for it is full 
of corpses. Some thousands of Chinese must have been 
massacred in the native city, all of them no doubt people who 
are supposed to be favourable to us — coolies employed here 
and their relations, shopkeepers who have supplied us with 
small necessaries, and perhaps some of the better class who 
have ventured opinions hostile to the Boxers. It is a horrible 
business, lad, and the troops are so furious at the sight that 
they may give little quarter when the tables are turned and 
we take the town. That is the worst of a war in this 
country ; the Chinese never give quarter, and as a result little 
is given on our side. Our men may possibly be kept in 
hand, but I doubt whether the Russians, or the Germans, or 
the French will be restrained.” 

Rex at once put on his uniform, took his rifle, and joined 
the party who, behind some hastily-thrown-up barricades, 
were trying to keep down the Chinese fire. With that excep- 
tion the day was comparatively quiet. All the Europeans 
not engaged in combating the Chinese fire were employed 
with the sailors and marines in erecting barricades, while 
the Russians held the outposts. 

The next morning the Chinese opened fire with two field- 
guns posted on the railway embankment opposite to the 
British section. Commander Beattie, of the Barfleur, with 
three companies of sailors, was sent across the river to try to 
silence them ; but the Chinese, sheltered behind the mud walls 


218 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


which intersected the ground in every direction, poured in so 
heavy a fire that the attempt had to be abandoned, Com- 
mander Beattie and three of his officers being wounded. A 
nine-pounder gun was then brought up to the river bank 
front under the command of Lieutenant Wright, of the 
Orlando. This opened fire upon the two Chinese guns, and 
maintained it so rapidly, and with such excellent aim, that 
the Chinese guns were withdrawn. Lieutenant Wright, how- 
ever, was mortally wounded by a bursting shell. 

Most of the Chinese guns were placed in the yamen fort, 
forty-five of them being in position there. There was also a 
battery of seven guns in the canal, two miles from the rail- 
way-station, a couple of guns within a thousand yards of it, 
and another couple behind the ruins of the Military College. 
Besides these there were several sand-bag batteries along the 
bank of the river between the French settlements and the 
native city, in the city wall, and in the arsenal. All these now 
opened fire, and from their different positions were able to 
cannonade the settlements from every direction. 

The din was incessant, and many of the houses speedily 
became ruins. Unfortunately the besieged had but a few 
guns to meet it, having only seven twelve-pounder Russian 
guns of an obsolete pattern, a new fifteen-pounder, a Maxim, 
and a Nordenfeldt, which had just arrived, but which was of 
little use, as there were very few rounds of ammunition to 
fit it. 

For a week the position was grave in the extreme; the 
defending force was constantly engaged, and the enemy 
swarmed round them; but though they made numerous dem- 
onstrations they never attempted anything like a determined 
attack. In one attack the enemy set fire to the buildings in 
fourteen places, burnt down the Roman Catholic cathedral 
and the greater portion of the French station, and nearly 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


219 


succeeded in capturing the railway-station, which was held 
by the Russians. 

Day by day the situation became more serious. There had 
been no communication with the coast for nearly ten days; 
the enemy daily became more daring, and their attacks 
were repulsed with ever-increasing difficulty. Then one of 
the volunteers, Mr. Watts, offered to ride through the Chinese 
lines by night. He knew the country well, and believed he 
could get through ; but the service was a desperate one. The 
Russian general gave him two Cossacks as an escort. These 
might be of use if he fell in with a very small party of the 
enemy ; but as he could not speak their language they could 
be of little other service. His comrades gave him a hearty 
farewell when he left, never expecting to see him again. 
Nevertheless, almost by a miracle, he succeeded in getting 
through, and carrying news to the fleet that the position at 
Tientsin was becoming desperate, that they maintained them- 
selves with the greatest difficulty, and that their ammunition 
was fast giving out. 

No time was lost; two thousand men — British, Americans, 
and Russians — bringing with them two Russian batteries, 
each of six fifteen-pounder Krupps, were at once landed. The 
Russians were commanded by General Stossel, the Ameri- 
cans by Major Waller, and the naval brigade by Commander 
Craddock and Captain Mullins. The force also included four 
hundred Welsh Fusiliers under Major Morris, and a portion 
of the Chinese regiment from Wei-Hai-Wei under Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Bowyer. 

It was a terrible journey. The railway had been completely 
destroyed, the heat was overpowering, and the enemy, though 
they did not venture to make an open attack, kept up a 
constant fire upon them. Nevertheless they toiled on un- 
flinchingly, and at last reached Tientsin, to the delight of the 


220 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


inhabitants, who now found themselves in a position to defy 
any attack. 

Rex had been continually at one or another of the barri- 
cades. The fire from two guns concealed among some houses 
had been particularly galling and accurate, and Rex, with two 
of his comrades, had often talked over the possibility of 
silencing it. On the twenty-second Rex said: “Well, I 
mean to go out to-night and see if I cannot stop the fire of 
that gun. Are you two fellows disposed to go with me ? ” 

“ Certainly, if you think there is a shadow of a chance.” 

“I think that there is a very good chance. You see, the 
Chinese guns always stop fire between ten at night and four 
in the morning. It is true that sniping goes on all night, 
showing that there are skirmishers out all that time; but if 
we could pass through these we are safe, for there is no 
doubt that the artillerymen serving the guns lie down and 
go to sleep. I have a Chinese disguise, and, talking the 
language as I do, I feel sure that I can get through. I shall 
take my man Ah Lo with me. Two might be quite enough 
if it were not that the gunners probably lie down close to 
their pieces, and if they woke up before we had driven both 
spikes in and made a rush, we might fail in our object. For 
that reason I should like to have two more if you are willing 
to come.” 

Both the young men expressed their willingness to go, one 
of them saying, however, that neither of them spoke Chinese 
well enough to pass. 

“ That does not matter,” Rex replied. “ It would, of 
course, be better for us to go through in two parties and join 
when we have passed the skirmishing-line. Ah Lo can go 
with one of you and I can go with the other, so that if we are 
stopped and questioned we can do the talking.” 

“ Yes, that will make it all right,” the other said. “ There 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


221 


is no difficulty about disguises; there are still some coolies 
here. Now, what ought we to take?” 

“ We must each take a heavy hammer and a spike, also a 
thick felt wad to put on the top of the nail when we strike 
it, so that we can practically spike the guns without making 
a noise. In addition we had better each take a brace of 
revolvers and a sword, so that we can make a pretty tough 
fight should we be attacked. Still, if we are discovered after 
we have finished our work, we must take to our heels rather 
than to our arms. In that case I think it would be wise, 
instead of making at once for the camp, to run to one of the 
houses. The night will be dark, and in the confusion the 
Chinese will not at first realize what has happened, and before 
they recover we shall probably be out of sight. If we get a 
good start there is little fear that we shall be overtaken, and 
even if we should come upon skirmishers they are sure to be 
very scattered. We can shoot them down before they realize 
who we are and what we have been up to, and then there will 
only be a short run and the risk of a chance bullet before we 
are safe behind the barricade.” 

u Well, it all seems plain enough, and I really don’t see 
why it could not be managed.” 

“ I have no doubt in the least that it could be managed,” 
Rex said confidently. “ There are only two real difficulties ; 
the one is, to make our way through their skirmishers with- 
out being detected, the other is to find the guns in the dark.” 

“Yes, that will be a serious difficulty. One of those 
Chinese houses is just like another, and as the guns are a 
good thousand yards away, the chances are that we should 
not find them.” 

“ We can manage that,” Rex said, after a moment’s 
thought. “ To-day we will put a lantern on the barricade, 
and ask the middy in charge to let it remain there, telling 


222 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


him what we want it for. Then we will go back fifty or a 
hundred yards and place another lantern in a window in 
such a position that when we are going in a direct line for 
the guns the light of the first shall cover that of the second.” 

“ That is a splendid idea, Bateman ; that will certainly get 
over the difficulty. You are a wonderful chap to plan things. 
Well, I feel sure now that we shall succeed if only we can 
make our way through those sniping beggars.” 

The lanterns were obtained, and Rex went with them to 
the barricades. The officer in command there was a midship- 
man of the Orlando. Rex had had several chats with him 
during the past few days. “ Hillo, Bateman,” he said, 
“what are you up to with those lanterns at this hour? 
Going to look for a subterranean mine ? ” 

“No, I will tell you what I am going to do, but you must 
keep it a secret; all sorts of objections might be raised, and 
the enemy would get to know what we were up to.” 

“You can trust me.” 

“ Well, then, we are going out to-night to spike those two 
guns over there that have been doing so much mischief for 
the past two days.” 

“You are! By Jove! I should like to go with you, but of 
course I can’t. I have got to stick here whatever happens till 
the thing is over. How are you going to do it ? ” 

“Four of us are going out. There is no doubt the fellows 
who work the guns all go to sleep between ten and four, so 
we have a fair chance to go up and spike the guns before they 
wake. Of course the difficulty will be to get through those 
fellows who keep watch all night. For that we have to trust 
to chance. We shall carry pistols, and if we come across 
one or two men we can use them without attracting attention, 
as anyone who heard the shots would naturally think that 
some of their own men were sniping.” 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 223 

“ That seems good enough,” the middy said ; “ but what on 
earth have you got the lantern for? Do you mean to march 
out with it to show the way ? ” 

“Not exactly,” Rex laughed. He then explained their 
plan to the middy. 

“ First-rate, a jolly good idea! ” said his friend. “ The guns 
are somewhere along those ruins over there; they fire every 
three or four minutes. Just at present, as far as I can make 
out, they are pounding the French settlement. I should think 
the line would be somewhere about that house fifty yards 
behind.” 

“ I will go and stand there,” Rex said, “ and watch for the 
next shot. It is most important to get the lanterns in the 
exact line, because if we once got among those houses in the 
dark we might search for half an hour before we found the 
position, and likely enough might fall over some of the 
sleeping Boxers.” 

“ They are not Boxers,” the midshipman said, “ they are 
regular troops. Those guns are Krupps, and the Boxers have 
no guns of that sort. I will go back with you. Two eyes 
are better than one; there is only the flash to guide us, for 
they are using smokeless powder.” 

They went back to the point that he had suggested, and 
stood looking earnestly till they saw the flash. Both agreed 
that they were five or six yards too much to the left. They 
accordingly moved a little in that direction. Five minutes 
after they saw another flash. 

“This is just about right,” Rex- said; “there is a window 
just overhead. The house looks to me as if it were empty ; at 
any rate I will go in and see.” 

It turned out to be as he thought. 

“ All right ! I will leave the lantern in the house and light 
it as we come along, which will be about twelve o’clock. I 


224 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


shall be glad if you will keep your eye upon both lights and 
see that they burn steadily. Probably they will not require 
attention, but at the same time, as the success of the job 
depends upon both keeping alight, it is as well to run no 
risks. There is, perhaps, more fear of the one on the barri- 
cade coming to grief than of this. One of your sailors might 
topple it over.” 

“ You needn’t be afraid of that. I will put a man to sit by 
the side of it, or rather to sit down behind it in shelter, for 
the bullets whistle pretty close over that point sometimes.” 

“ It would be a very good plan,” Hex said, “ if you would 
get him to put his hat in front of it and take it away again 
about every quarter of a minute, so as to make the light 
twinkle. You see there are a good many lights in the houses 
at night, and at a distance we might easily make a mistake; 
but if this one were to be kept flashing we could hardly go 
wrong.” 

“A good idea again, Bateman! I shall see that that is 
done. Is there anything else?” 

“ Well, I think that after we have been gone five minutes 
it would be an advantage if you would make your men fire 
half a dozen shots. Those snipers would be sure to answer 
at once, and we should then get some idea of their situation 
and probably be able to avoid them.” 

“ That shall be done,” said the middy. “ The danger will, 
of course, be in spiking the guns.” 

“ That is so, but we shall all be in disguise, so that if we 
stumble over any of them in the dark we shall only be taken 
for some of their own fellows. We shall each carry ham- 
mers and spikes, and felt wads an inch thick, so that when 
we find the guns we shall be able to spike them without 
making any noise.” 

“ Do you know the mechanism of those Krupp guns ? ” 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


225 


“ No.” 

“ Well, then, you would only be going out on a fool's errand. 
You would not be able to spike them, and if you did, they 
would have no difficulty in cutting the spike off by taking 
the breech-block out. Your best plan would be to get the 
breech-blocks out and carry them away. They would prob- 
ably be too heavy to carry far, but if you were to get them 
out and take them a short distance away, you might hide 
them among the ruins and cover them over with rubbish. 
That would effectually put them out of action until we go 
out and capture the place. Look here ! have you got a pocket- 
book with you?” 

“ Yes.” 

“ Well, then, X can show you roughly the action of the 
gun and how to open the breech and get the block out. When 
you grasp that you will find no difficulty in doing it, if you 
coach the fellows who are going with you how it is done. 
You see the action would be quite noiseless, and though it 
would take you a good bit longer than spiking, that would 
not be very important if you find all the fellows asleep.” 

“ Thank you ! I am very much obliged to you. It would 
have been a horrible sell to find, when we got there, that after 
all we could do nothing.” 

They went together to the barricade and sat down in as 
comfortable a spot as they could find. Then the midshipman 
drew a plan of the breech action and explained minutely to 
Rex how it worked and how he should proceed to get out the 
wedge and stopper. In the evening, when the others came 
off duty, Rex brought them home, and, taking them up into 
his room, explained to them what was to be done. He knew 
that it was useless to attempt to get Ah Lo to understand it, 
but he would only have to put his hand on the part to be 
operated upon, and get Ah Lo to apply his strength to it. 


226 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Even if we can’t get out the breech-block, or find it too 
heavy to carry away, it would be sufficient, I should say, to 
take out the wedge and stopper, and carry them off, for I 
doubt whether they would be able to replace these parts, and 
at any rate they could only do so after several days’ delay, 
which would be a good deal gained.” 

At a quarter to twelve Rex and Ah Lo set out, and on 
arriving at the barricade found their two companions already 
there. The lanterns were lighted, and they at once set out. 
They advanced until they judged that they were near the 
line of snipers, and then lay down. They had scarcely done 
so when the defenders of the barrier opened fire, and directly 
afterwards, as Rex had expected, the Chinese ahead replied. 
The shots were all pretty close together, which seemed to show 
that the Chinese there were in a group. Rex and his 
companions immediately set off again, and, after proceeding 
about a hundred yards to the right, again went forward. All 
had muffled their shoes with strips of blanket before start- 
ing, and, treading very cautiously to avoid stumbling against 
stones or other obstacles, they went quietly forward, holding 
their pistols in readiness for action, and stooping low. 

They met with no interruption. The party on the left 
were still firing, and they found no one ahead of them. 
Gradually they moved towards the left until the Chinese 
snipers were behind them and they had the two lanterns in 
line. They went on faster now till they knew that they 
must be near the houses, for the night was so dark that they 
could not even see the outline. Looking frequently back to 
be sure that they were keeping the exact line, they proceeded 
steadily and at last came upon a wall, evidently the remains 
of a house. From this point they moved forward foot by 
foot until they felt that they were far enough among the 
ruins; then they scattered a little until, to their delight, they 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


227 


came upon the guns. Listening intently they could hear the 
sound of heavy breathing and snoring a short distance ahead, 
and judged that the Chinese must be lying but fifteen yards 
away. They drew together round one of the guns and felt 
the breech. 

“ Here is the handle of the lever,” Rex whispered. 

Opening the breech they took out the wedge and stopper, 
and then moved to the other gun and completed the opera- 
tion. They had finished it and were moving off when one of 
them stumbled and fell. A Chinaman, startled by the sound, 
exclaimed : “ Who is there ; what are you doing ? ” Making 
no reply, however, they hurried on, and making two or three 
turns among the ruins were soon in the open again. 

“Keep along still farther to the left,” Rex said, as there 
was a sudden shout behind. “ Evidently the wakeful China- 
man has got up to investigate the cause of the disturbance, 
and has discovered that the guns have been tampered with.” 

As he spoke a chorus of yells came from the direction of 
the guns. 

“ Look here ! ” Rex said, “ here is a pile of earth where a 
wall has fallen. Let’s shove these things in here and cover 
them up; they are precious heavy, - and we can’t do any 
fighting until we have got rid of them.” 

The suggestion was no sooner made than it was carried 
out. Kneeling down they rapidly scraped a hole in the 
debris, and carefully hid the portions of the guns which they 
had carried off. As they did so they could hear a rush of 
shouting men behind them. 

“ We had better follow them,” Rex said. “No doubt they 
will scatter along the line, and we shall then have a good 
chance of getting through.” Accordingly they retraced their 
steps and joined their pursuers. The mob of Chinamen 
scattered as they advanced, and halted to make enquiries 


228 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


when they reached the sniping line. As the men here de- 
clared that no one had passed them, the great bulk went on 
to the right or left. Rex whispered to Ah Lo, who exclaimed : 
“ They may have run on ; we will see if we can’t overtake 
them ! ” and with his companions passed on at a run. 

It was straight sailing now; -the guiding lantern was in 
front of them, and at the top of their speed they ran down 
towards it. They were challenged as they approached the 
barricade, for the Chinese had opened a 'heavy random fire. 

“ All right ! ” Rex shouted, “ don’t fire, whatever you do.” 

A minute later he and his companions climbed the barri- 
cade. 

“Well, have you succeeded?” the midshipman asked. 

“Yes, thanks to your advice, we have disabled the guns. 
We have not brought the pieces with us, but we have buried 
them in the ruins where they are certainly not likely to be 
discovered.” 

“No fighting?” 

“ No, we have not had to draw a trigger.” 

“Well done! I heard a terrible din right out in that 
direction, and feared that you had been captured.” 

“ No, we had done the business before they got the alarm, 
and were able to make off without being seen. Then we 
joined them and rushed in pursuit of ourselves; but when 
they scattered in all directions we kept straight on, shouting 
that we should overtake the fugitives.” 

“ Well, you have done a first-rate job, and as a result we 
shall have a comparatively quiet time to-morrow, for their 
shot generally struck near us. Shall I report the affair ? ” 

“ No,” Rex said. “We have agreed that we will say 
nothing about it. We might get a blowing-up for acting 
without orders. We don’t want praise, and are well satisfied 
to have silenced those troublesome guns.” 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


229 


They went quietly back to their homes, and next day had 
the pleasure of hearing remarks of surprise and satisfaction 
at the silence of the two guns that had been so trouble- 
some. 

That morning a relief force, under the command of Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Shirinsky, sallied out to the assistance of 
Admiral Seymour, and the day passed in comparative quiet- 
ness at Tientsin, the time being employed by the troops and 
inhabitants in strengthening the barricades. The Chinese, 
who were of course aware of the large reinforcements that 
had arrived on the previous day, and were probably anticipat- 
ing an attack, remained inactive. Only a few shots were 
fired into the settlements during the day. 

Having nothing else to do Rex wandered all over the settle- 
ments, and was surprised to see the enormous damage that 
had been effected by the Chinese guns. The French settle- 
ment had been almost entirely destroyed by fire and shot, 
the damage greatly exceeding that which had been inflicted 
on the British settlement. Many of the houses had suffered 
terribly. The municipal buildings had been struck many 
times, but, being solidly built, had suffered only from the 
heavier missiles. Houses facing the river were all riddled 
with musket balls, and many had been badly knocked about 
by the Chinese guns on the opposite side. The loss of life, 
however, had been particularly small, and the inhabitants, 
feeling that the worst was over, congratulated themselves 
that it had not been more serious. 

Rex learned that the heaviest fighting had taken place 
round the railway-station. This point was guarded jointly 
by a force of Japanese, French, and British, the Japanese 
and French being stationed on the platform and in the 
station buildings, while the British, with a Maxim, held the 
engine-house. The fighting lasted day and night for several 


230 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


days in succession, the enemy making the engine-house the 
special object of their attack, and endeavouring to silence 
the Maxim by planting two nine-pounders in a clump of 
trees less than twelve hundred yards away. Their fire was 
so accurate that the men who were not working the gun had 
to lie down in the ash-pit between the rails, planks being 
placed across the opening to give them protection. One day 
the Chinese put eight shells into the wall within a space of 
twenty feet, killing and wounding seventeen of the Welsh 
Fusiliers, who were at that time on guard. 

The French and Japanese erected sand-bag barricades 
along the platform, and, lying down on the rails behind, fired 
through loopholes. Once or twice the fighting was so close 
as to be nearly hand-to-hand. Between the station and the 
Russian camp was an undefended gap of a quarter of a mile, 
studded thickly with Chinese graves, which afforded excellent 
cover, and enabled the Boxers to advance to within a short 
distance of the station. One night, indeed, a number of 
Boxers managed to creep up unseen, getting behind some 
empty trucks standing by the siding, cut off the French in 
the station, and the British in the engine-house. It was a 
moment of great peril, but fortunately some Sikhs of the 
Hong-Kong regiment, who were coming out to relieve the 
blue-jackets and marines, saw the situation, and attacked 
the enemy. A fierce fight, lasting some three hours, ensued, 
the Sikhs showing the greatest courage and presence of mind, 
and the assailants were in the end driven off with heavy loss. 
The allies, however, also suffered heavily; their casualties, 
which occurred chiefly among the French and Japanese, 
amounting to nearly a hundred and fifty. The Boxers, who 
had been armed with rifles from the arsenal, also showed 
great courage, many times sallying out from between the 
trucks and charging with fixed bayonets, a weapon of whose 


THE FIGHT AT TIENTSIN 


231 


use they knew so little that those on a number of the rifles 
picked up after the fight were still fixed in the scabbards. 

The British Club had been turned into a hospital at first, 
but it was found to be a great deal too exposed in position, 
and the wounded were removed into the Gordon Hall, where 
they were comparatively safe. The hospitals were excellently 
managed, and the wounded bore all their sufferings without 
complaint, although terribly harassed by the flies and afflicted 
by the great heat. The continual bursting of shells also 
troubled them greatly; the explosion was serious enough to 
men in sound health, and it was, of course, much more trying 
to those who were shaken by loss of blood and had their 
nerves much less under control. 

The French priests behaved with great courage and hu- 
manity, feeding and protecting all the Christian Chinese 
who came to them, Catholic and Protestant alike. Many of 
the Chinese women were housed in the missions, and private 
firms sheltered numbers of them in their warehouses; but 
nevertheless the Chinese Christians suffered heavily, as their 
houses stood for the most part in exposed positions. When 
Rex was off duty as a volunteer he spent the greater part of 
his time in visiting these poor people, carrying rice and 
other necessities from his father’s storehouses. He was sur- 
prised at their patience and resignation; they evinced the 
most touching gratitude for the welcome supplies that he 
brought them. The rice was generally cooked for them in 
the house, and Ah Lo always accompanied Rex with two pails 
full of the food, while Rex carried the smaller comforts in 
a basket. 


CHAPTER XII 


DELAYS 

O N the thirteenth the allies began a heavy bombardment of 
the native city, the guns being placed on a mud wall 
enclosing both the native city and foreign settlements. The 
British had sixteen guns of various sizes, and four Maxims; 
the Americans three guns and three machine-guns ; the 
Japanese twelve mountain guns; the French six mountain 
guns; and the Austrians two Maxims and a Nordenfeldt. 
The Russians and Germans, who were encamped two miles 
away on the other side of the river, did not share in the 
bombardment. The cannonade was kept up with tremendous 
vigour, the British guns alone pouring in fifteen hundred 
shells in the course of the morning. So terrific was the fire 
that the Chinese batteries soon ceased to play. 

Meanwhile an allied army of some five thousand men, 
under the command of the Japanese Brigadier-General Fu- 
kushima, the senior officer present, advanced under cover of 
darkness on the western side of the Peiho to a little arsenal 
about two miles to the north-west of the settlements. This 
force was composed of fifteen hundred Japanese, with two 
batteries of artillery, a British contingent under Brigadier- 
General Forward, comprising one hundred and fifty blue- 
jackets, one hundred and fifty marines, one hundred and 
sixty men of the Welsh Fusiliers, one hundred of the Chinese 
regiment, one hundred and fifty of the Hong-Kong regiment, 
the Hong-Kong artillery, and the naval guns, also forty-five 


DELAYS 


233 


Austrian marines, nine hundred Americans under Colonel 
Meade, and nine hundred French under Colonel De Pelacot. 
The remainder of the Welsh Fusiliers and a number of blue- 
jackets were despatched at the same time to hold the enemy 
in check at the railway-station, while from their camp the 
Russians and Germans advanced in force on the east banks 
of the river to attack the batteries on the Lutai Canal. The 
best point of attack was the south-west angle of the city, as 
in this way they would have avoided the concentrated fire 
from the whole of the crenellated wall; but a canal inter- 
vened, and there was no means of bridging it, the Chinese 
having opened the sluices and flooded the country on both 
sides of it. The advancing force, moreover, would have been 
exposed to the fire of the Chinese fort two thousand yards 
away, on which were mounted several modern guns. It had 
been decided, therefore, to attack at the south gate, to which 
a narrow paved pathway ran in a straight line from the 
arsenal. 

The troops were drawn up, the French on the right, the 
Americans on the left, and the Japanese, British, and Aus- 
trians in the centre. 

The canal was formerly crossed at the arsenal by a small 
wooden bridge, but this had been burnt in order to keep the 
Chinese guns from going from the city to the race-course, 
from which they had for some days maintained a galling fire. 
The arsenal itself was not held in strength, being too much 
exposed to the Chinese fire, but a Maxim had been stationed 
in one of the houses by the bridge, to prevent the Chinese 
from repairing it. The French were the first to reach the 
remains of the bridge in order to take up their place on the 
right of the attacking force, and when they found that there 
was no means of crossing, they had to halt under cover of a 
very heavy fire from the Japanese sappers, until they had 


234 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


made it passable. The French and Japanese troops then 
crossed together, and proceeded along the pathway until they 
reached a ditch six feet wide, running at right angles to the 
pathway, and filled with stagnant water. 

This ditch was about nine hundred yards from the wall. 
Crossing it the troops took shelter in a number of small 
houses a short distance beyond. Forty men were left to hold 
them, and two hundred more advanced along the causeway 
until they got under the shelter of the Chinese houses, situ- 
ated a couple of hundred yards outside the city wall. The 
Japanese sappers threw up an entrenchment with great 
rapidity, and placed bridges across one or two ditches which 
obstructed the advance. 

The attack was then developed as had been arranged. The 
Welsh Fusiliers and the Americans on the extreme left 
proceeded towards the western angle of the city wall, the 
advance company taking cover in a creek some three hun- 
dred yards from the wall, and the remainder settling them- 
selves a little to the rear behind mud walls and any inequal- 
ities in the ground. Their position was an unpleasant one, 
for in addition to being exposed to the fire from the wall, 
they had to keep an eye upon a large body of Chinese horse 
which had drawn up just out of range in readiness to charge 
if opportunity offered itself. Unfortunately, two hundred 
of the American infantry, under Colonel Liscum, instead 
of continuing forward, turned almost at a right angle and 
marched directly across the front of the attack until they 
reached a position near the French settlements. They were 
in formation of sections of four, and were exposed to a 
terrific rifle fire from the whole line of the city wall and 
also from the Chinese houses lying between the wall and 
the settlements. They changed their line of advance, but 
did not better their position, and were obliged to take shelter 


DELAYS 


235 


behind the Chinese graves, with which the plain was studded. 
These graves are only small mounds of earth, and though 
they found protection behind them from direct fire from 
the walls, they were still exposed to a flanking fire from the 
houses. Colonel Liscum, while gallantly steadying his men, 
was killed, and four officers and seventy-two men were 
wounded. 

An attempt was made to send them fresh ammunition. 
Captain Ollivant of the Chinese regiment was killed in a 
gallant attempt to draw off the line of fire with some ammu- 
nition mules, and the Americans were forced to lie where 
they were until nightfall, when they fell back to the arsenal 
with their wounded and dead, which amounted to just one- 
half of their whole number. In the course of the day 
Lieutenant Phillimore of the Barfleur had managed to get 
out to them with a few blue- jackets, and had assisted them 
materially, both in holding their position and in carrying 
back to the arsenal those who had fallen. Major Pereira 
of the 1st Chinese Regiment, who was next to them, went 
out to them twice to bring in their wounded. He was hit 
himself in so doing. His regiment had nineteen casualties, 
including two officers. 

When the bombardment had somewhat weakened the 
Chinese fire, General Fukushima ordered the general ad- 
vance. Unfortunately he received word that his men had 
effected a lodgment on the city wall, and had actually got 
inside the town, and he therefore requested General Dorward 
to stop the fire of the British guns, which was, of course, 
instantly done. Had they been kept in action half an hour 
longer the loss to the Japanese would have been considerably 
less, for the gunners had the exact range, and were causing 
great destruction. However, the whole line of attack pushed 
forward and took shelter in the houses outside the walls, 


236 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


and as soon as it was discovered that the Japanese were not 
in the city, all the guns again opened fire. This was main- 
tained steadily all the afternoon, the fire of the large naval 
guns being particularly accurate. While the Americans 
were being retired from their advanced position in the even- 
ing these guns were ordered to sweep the Chinese barricades 
and line of defended houses, from which Colonel Liscum’s 
force had been so much harried all day. The Americans 
were lying about three hundred yards from this fringe, and 
if they attempted to move they were in great danger of 
bing hit, but the fire of the British guns was so accurate that 
the retiral was carried out without one casualty. 

Early in the afternoon a company of marines was ordered 
to reinforce the Japanese and French, and the Austrian 
marines went with them. The fire was so heavy and accu- 
rate that a number of blue-jackets under Captain Beattie 
hurried forward to their support. A heavy cross-fire was 
poured upon them, and several of the men fell, among them 
being an able seaman named M’Carthy. Basil Guy, one of 
the Barfleur’s midshipmen, ran back and bound up his 
wounds. He then tried to lift the disabled man and carry 
him in, but, finding the weight too heavy for him, he ran 
forward again, got the stretcher, and returned with another 
seaman to assist him. As the rest of the party were all now 
under shelter, the whole fire of the enemy was concentrated 
upon him, and the ground was literally ploughed up with 
shot. M’Carthy was placed on the stretcher, but as he was 
being carried in, he was again hit, and this time killed. For 
this gallant action Guy was awarded the Victoria Cross, 
being the only midshipman who had ever gained that honour. 

The troops then advanced across the causeway, suffering 
heavily from the incessant rifle fire, and from the shell and 
shrapnel fire of two guns which the Chinese had posted near 



BASIL GUV RAN BACK AND BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS, 





DELAYS 


237 


a water-mill at the right of the road. The causeway was not 
more than thirty feet in width, so that the croops were unable 
to extend, and being therefore in close order, afforded an ex- 
cellent mark to the enemy. Unfortunately by this time the 
Japanese and British guns had expended all their ammuni- 
tion, but one of the Hong-Kong guns had still a few rounds 
left, and directing its fire upon the Chinese guns which were 
doing so much mischief, brought their fire on itself, and so 
succeeded in enabling the column to pass along the causeway 
with far less damage than it would otherwise have suffered. 
The Chinese fire was on the whole surprisingly good, and 
showed that their artillerymen had been well instructed. 
While our own guns were for the most part using black 
powder, the Chinese were using smokeless, and consequently 
it was very difficult for our artillerymen to locate their exact 
position. 

The troops were glad enough when night came on. The 
day had been hot, and though heavy showers had fallen in 
the early part of the morning, their water-bottles were soon 
exhausted, and they were compelled to drink the green stag- 
nant water in the ditches, with the result that a great num- 
ber of them afterwards suffered from dysentery. The losses 
had been very heavy, and the question of retirement was 
mooted, only, however, to be at once rejected. To retire 
would be to add enormously to the prestige of the Chinese 
and to lower the spirit of the troops. It was therefore re- 
solved that the ground won must be held at all hazards, and 
the attack recommenced in the morning. All through the 
night the enemy kept up a desultory fire, which was a trying 
ordeal for the troops, fatigued as they were by the long day’s 
fight, during which they had been exposed for hours to a 
blazing sun, with but a very small supply of food. The 
Japanese suffered most severely, as the ground they were 


238 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


holding on both sides of the causeway was two feet deep in 
water, and they had therefore to remain standing all night. 

Just before sunrise the Japanese sappers stole forward to 
attempt to blow in the outer city gate. They were met with 
a tremendous volley of musketry, and one ball cut the electric 
wire which was to have been used for firing the charge. 
Lieutenant Inawe, however, pluckily rushed forward with a 
lighted fuse, and escaped, almost miraculously, unhurt. 
Meanwhile one of the Japanese soldiers had pluckily climbed 
the inner wall and unbarred the inner gate, and the Japanese 
poured into the city, the Chinese flying before them in all 
directions. The Japanese were followed by the Welsh 
Fusiliers, the rest of the troops marching round on the broad 
city walls to keep as many of the enemy from escaping as 
possible. There was a good deal of fighting in the streets 
and firing from the houses, but the greater part of the 
Chinese troops had retired during the night, having lost 
heart when they found that their assailants maintained their 
position and would recommence their attack in the morning. 
The Chinese loss was estimated at about five thousand; that 
of the allies was under eight hundred, of which five hundred 
occurred in the ranks of the Japanese. 

The streets were littered with Chinese uniforms and the 
red sashes and badges of the Boxers, of which they had 
divested themselves as they ran. Numbers of bodies of 
people killed by the shells lay about, but only two women 
were found among them, which seemed to show that the 
greater portion of the inhabitants had fled before the attack 
began, leaving the city to be defended by the Boxers and 
the Imperial troops. The effect of the lyddite shells from 
the heavy guns had been terrible; indeed the Chinese looked 
upon lyddite as a sort of death-dealing magic. 

The tactics of the attacking troops had not been good, 


DELAYS 


239 


owing probably to the divided command. Had they been 
marched during the darkness they could have gained their 
position in the houses under the walls with comparatively 
slight loss, and could have blown in the gate and assaulted 
the city at once, instead of which they were halted a long 
way in front of the wall and then marched in broad daylight 
across an open plain devoid of cover, and halted for a couple 
of hours under fire while the bridge over the canal was being 
repaired. Moreover, almost all the troops were engaged in 
the operation, only a handful being left to guard the settle- 
ments, while a large body of Chinese cavalry kept hovering 
about some little distance away, and had they been under a 
competent leader, might have effected an entrance into the 
settlements and swept them from end to end. Still, the 
capture of Tientsin was worth the risk; it opened the road 
to Pekin, and relieved both Peiho and Shanghai from a 
danger that was every day increasing. It also conduced to 
the safety of every foreigner in the interior of China. 

While the fighting had been going on, the Russians and 
Germans on the other side of the river circled round and 
stormed the batteries on the Lupi Canal, taking them with 
comparatively little opposition. During their advance one 
of the Chinese shells fell into a building inside the Russian 
line, in which, unknown to its occupants, dynamite was 
stored. The explosion was terrific; the windows of most of 
the houses in the settlements were shattered by it, although 
it occurred some way off on the other side of the river. The 
Russian general, who, with his staff, was close by at the 
moment, had his hand damaged by a falling building, his 
trumpeter was killed, and a number of men were knocked 
down by the force of the concussion. The total German and 
Russian loss was about one hundred and fifty killed and 
wounded. The Russians were aided by a four-inch gun from 


240 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


the Algerine and a twelve-pounder from the Terrible, which 
rendered most valuable aid, as the Russians had with them 
only seven twelve-pounders of an old pattern. 

The British guns were not very satisfactory until the 
arrival of the Terrible's twelve-pounder. The Hong-Kong 
guns were obsolete, and the British troops had none others, 
with the exception of some very old-fashioned naval six- 
pounders. Indeed the scandalous fact was brought to light 
that none of the British ships on the China station were 
equipped with modern quick-firing guns. 

The Welsh Fusiliers, after joining the Japanese, pushed 
through the city up to the north gate, and advanced beyond 
it to the Grand Canal, where they captured two hundred 
junks and a small steamer. The Japanese captured also a 
number of guns, all of which proved very useful in the 
march to Pekin. 

After the city was captured the Chinese had still a strong 
defensive position. They had fallen back to the railway and 
to the fort near the Viceroy’s yamen; but they had no heart 
left in them, and in the afternoon the Japanese entered the 
fort without a fight and took possession of that and the 
yamen. Forty-five guns were found in the former, among 
them the big Krupp that had done such harm to the settle- 
ments in the early days of the bombardment, and several 
fifteen-pounder guns of recent pattern. 

The first thing to be done was to extinguish the fires that 
were raging in several parts of the city. This was a difficult 
matter, and was not accomplished until a considerable part 
of the city had been consumed, the amount of property de- 
stroyed being enormous. The rest of the city was systemat- 
ically looted. The Russians had not entered the town, but 
remained on the other side of the river. They had at once 
demanded that a military governor should be appointed, but 


DELAYS 


241 


as they and the Japanese were much superior in force to the 
other nationalities it was evident that they intended that a 
.Russian should be nominated. The matter was discussed 
with considerable acerbity at a council of commanding 
officers, but the proposal was finally rejected, and three 
commissioners, Colonel Wogack, Lieutenant- Colonel Bower, 
and Lieutenant-Colonel Aoki were appointed to govern 
the city of Tientsin, which was divided into four sections 
— British, American, French, and Japanese. A number 
of Chinese were enlisted to act as police under Captain 
Mockler of the Indian army, and though they were drilled 
by a Madras sepoy, who could not understand a word of 
their language, they became a very serviceable body. 

Yu Lu, the Viceroy, managed to effect his escape from the 
yamen, but a few days later he and the whole of his family 
committed suicide. His fate was certainly a hard one. Up 
to the outbreak of hostilities he had done his best "to suppress 
the Boxers and protect the foreigners. On June 9 he had 
tendered his resignation, but all his efforts in that direction 
were thwarted by the governor, and he was ordered to remain 
where he was. The hostility of his enemies at Pekin was 
carried beyond the grave, for an order was made for his post- 
humous degradation, a very terrible thing for a Chinese 
family, simply because he had failed to hold Tientsin against 
its assailants. 

Many small forts round the town were captured without 
resistance. These mounted many guns, and the fact that the 
garrisons abandoned them without resistance showed the 
complete demoralization of the Chinese. If only the assail- 
ing force had been in a position to follow up their work, there 
is little doubt that they could have arrived at Pekin almost 
without striking a blow. 

After extinguishing the fire the troops set to work to render 


242 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


the town habitable. Great numbers of dead were removed 
from the houses that had been destroyed by shell fire, and 
from the streets, and in a very short time the town was 
brought into a satisfactory sanitary condition. 

There was now a long pause. While the British and 
Americans were eager to advance towards Pekin at the earli- 
est opportunity, the Russians fell back. There were but two 
of their people in Pekin, and it was evident that they were 
far more desirous of getting political advantages out of the 
situation than of reaching the Legations. They maintained 
that it would need an army of sixty thousand to force a way 
up. The differences between them and the other nationalities 
became more and more acute, and matters dragged on pain- 
fully. It was true that there was still an immense deal to be 
done before a force of even twenty thousand men could be 
ready to advance, but in spite of disagreement between the 
commanders, work was carried on vigorously. Junks and 
carts were collected, guns, and great stores of provisions and 
ammunition were brought from the coast, and troops poured 
in; but still no day was named for the advance. 

The anger and discontent among the merchants and traders 
who had friends in Pekin increased daily. Men talked 
angrily and despairingly at the corners of the streets, and 
cursed the hesitation and bickering on the part of the mili- 
tary. Rex went about with his hands deep in his pockets and 
his head bent down, raging and pouring out abuse against 
the generals. His father in vain tried to calm him. 

“ My dear boy,” he said, “ you may be convinced that the 
five thousand or six thousand men that we have here are 
sufficient for the advance, but even I, anxious as I am to see 
an expedition set out, cannot agree with you. I quite believe 
that if on the day after we had taken Tientsin we had been 
ready to start, five thousand men might have done it. The 


DELAYS 


243 


news taken by the flying Chinese would have sufficed to de- 
moralize the enemy all over the country. But we were not 
ready, and the delay that has occurred having been sufficient 
-to allow the Chinese to get over their scare, an expedition of 
only five thousand men would inevitably terminate in a 
fiasco, as did that under Seymour. 

“ I think myself that at least ten thousand men will be 
necessary to relieve Pekin. That force will require a large 
transport train. Besides, though we have taken a great 
number of Chinese guns, few of these are field-guns, and, as 
you know, we are at present terribly deficient in artillery. 
Even for the guns we have there is no ammunition, for 
nearly every round we had was fired away the other day. We 
have no provisions for the troops, and must wait till a suffi- 
cient supply is collected and brought up here, together with 
the guns and an ample supply of ammunition. All this 
cannot be done in a day. I grant that we do not seem to be 
pushing on matters as quickly as we should wish, but already 
five trains a day run down to Taku, and an immense deal 
of work has been quietly carried on. Besides, the military 
commanders are convinced that Pekin has already fallen, 
and that there is no occasion whatever for haste. Troopships 
are expected in every day with reinforcements from India, 
Japan, Germany, and France, and when in another week we 
may have twenty thousand troops here, the military author- 
ities may be well excused for not deciding upon making an 
attempt with a quarter of that force.” 

“ Well, Father, I hope that when we do go you will get me 
attached to the force as interpreter.” 

" Certainly, Bex. I have no fear that when the force does 
go on there will be any hitch this time. Which section would 
you like to be attached to ? ” 

“ Well, I think, Father, if I have the choice, I should like 


244 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


to go with the Japs. They are awfully good little fellows, 
and as plucky as lions, and I fancy that as they are so strong 
they are certain to be well in front. I should really like to 
go with them.” 

“ Very well, I have been supplying them with a great many 
goods, and have spoken to their general several times. He 
talks English very well. When I tell him that you have been 
twice into Pekin since it was besieged, and brought down the 
last message that got through from the British Minister, I 
should think he would be glad to take you.” 

Two days later Rex learned that he had obtained an ap- 
pointment as interpreter with the Japanese troops, and that 
the general requested that he should begin his duties at once. 
It was a great relief to him to be employed again, as it took 
his thoughts off his friends at Pekin. There was not, how- 
ever, much to do. The Japanese arrangements were all so 
perfect, the men so quick and handy, that there was no occa- 
sion for his services except in making small purchases, and 
in arranging with Chinese coolies to man the junks, and 
with country-people for carts. There was some difficulty in 
obtaining provisions, for th§ Russians had carried fire and 
sword among all the villages to a considerable distance on 
their side of the river, burning the houses and generally 
killing the inhabitants. The consequence was that no sup- 
plies could be got on that side of the river. The villagers, 
however, began to come in from the north side, very timidly 
at first, but more boldly when they found that they were un- 
molested by the soldiers, for American, British, and Japanese 
all treated them well, and, after the sack of the city was over, 
resumed their ordinary discipline. 

Stores were now accumulating fast. Every train from 
Taku brought up troops, guns, ammunition, and provisions. 
The greatest difficulty was the disembarkment of these from 


DELAYS 


245 


the ships thirteen miles away. Some of the merchant ships 
of light draught were able to come in and unload at the 
wharves. The blue- jackets and marines in the men-of-war 
aided in loading up the trucks, and the work went on with 
great rapidity. 

Many of the Japanese officers spoke English, and Rex was 
soon at home among them, and found them very cheery, 
pleasant companions. Their general was a very agreeable 
man, with charming manners, and immensely popular among 
his troops. The greater portion of these were stationed in 
Tientsin, where they maintained perfect order in the district 
assigned to them, and Rex found that the natives returned 
more fearlessly to their districts than to those occupied by 
other nationalities. 

On July the 20th a letter came down from Mr. Conger, 
the United States Minister at Pekin, saying that they had 
been besieged for a month under continuous shot and shell 
from the Chinese troops, and that quick relief only could 
prevent general massacre. This woke up the military com- 
manders. General Gaselee, who commanded the British con- 
tingent, and General Chaffee, who commanded the Amer- 
icans, insisted that an attempt at relief should be made at all 
hazards. To wait until sixty thousand men were assembled 
would be simply to sacrifice the Legations, and they informed 
the other commanders that >they were determined to start 
even if they had to go alone. 

There was still much to be done before arrangements were 
completed, but the work went on with increased life and 
spirit now that it was certain that the Legations were still 
holding out. It was not, however, until August 4 that all was 
ready. Even then jealousies had arisen; both the Russians 
and the Japanese wished to lead the advance, and none wished 
to accept a position behind the others. General Gaselee then 


246 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


said that the British would take the rear-guard, as he only- 
wished to get to Pekin, and did not care in the least which 
of the columns got there first so long as they reached it in 
time to relieve the Legations. After this act of abnegation 
it was very satisfactory that the British force was the 
first to enter the Legations. 

The force was made up as follows: — Eight thousand 
Japanese under Lieutenant-General Baron Yamaguchi, with 
Major-General Eukushima as Chief of the staff; four thou- 
sand five hundred Russians under General Linievitch; three 
thousand British under Lieutenant-General Sir A. Gaselee, 
Major-General Barrow being his Chief of the staff; two 
thousand five hundred Americans under General Chaffee; 
eight hundred French under General Frey. The total force 
amounted to eighteen thousand eight hundred. No Germans 
took part in the expedition, and it was generally supposed 
that they preferred taking care of their own possessions at 
Shantung to rescuing the Legations. The total Japanese 
force, if they had all arrived, would have been twenty-two 
thousand. The Russians had three thousand men at their 
camp between Tientsin and Chefou, and a few British troops 
were left in Tientsin. It had been originally intended that 
Sir A. Gaselee should have a force of over seven thousand, 
but half the troops he brought with him had stopped at 
Shanghai by telegraphic instructions from home. This, 
though no doubt the presence of so large a force at Shanghai 
was useful in preventing trouble in the south of China, 
caused us to assume a very subordinate position in the expe- 
dition to Pekin, the Japanese, with their large force, doing 
the principal work of the campaign. 

As the time advanced, Rex, whose despair at the long 
delay had driven him almost distracted, began to fear that 
the expedition would arrive too late. He was, of course,. 


DELAYS 


247 


ignorant that the capture of Tientsin had had a powerful 
effect on the position at Pekin. The Chinese had believed 
that the place was impregnable, and so long as it was there 
to menace the rear of an invading army they felt perfectly 
safe. It was a tremendous blow to them therefore to learn 
that this city, with all its forts, guns, and supplies of ammu- 
nition, had been captured after a single day’s fighting, and 
the consequence was that their indecision increased. 

The war party were confused, and the peace party, headed 
by Prince Ching, gained vastly greater influence in the coun- 
cils of the Empress. The consequence was that for twenty 
days after the arrival of the news something like a truce 
prevailed. The besieged were even able to purchase small 
supplies of provisions and fruit, and their condition became 
much more tolerable. It was probable that the Empress 
would have thrown herself altogether into the hands of the 
peace party had it not been that the delay on the part of the 
allies had enabled the panic-stricken Chinese soldiers to 
recover their morale and discipline. They had been very 
strongly reinforced, and it was confidently hoped that they 
would be able to defeat the allies when they advanced. Thus 
the miserable delays caused by the jealousy of the allied com- 
manders were not as prejudicial to the Legations as they 
otherwise would have been. 

When hostilities were renewed, had the Chinese attacked 
as actively as they had done before the fall of Tientsin, it is 
morally certain that the defenders of the Legations would 
have found it impossible to continue their resistance, and 
that they would have been massacred. 

“ The Russians are at the bottom of all this hateful delay,” 
said Rex. “ I am convinced that the Japs, though the 
strongest in numbers, would give in willingly were it not 
that the Russians are always making fresh demands. We 


248 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


and the Americans only want to get there, and the French 
are in such small numbers that it does not matter a rap what 
they think of it. It is the Russians who are to blame.” 

“ There is no doubt about that, Rex,” his father said. “ I 
believe they are playing a double game. They want to pose 
as the friends of China and thus obtain concessions and an 
overwhelming influence at Pekin. This, it would seem, they 
try to do by all sorts of delays, by advancing petty claims, 
and by generally putting their spoke into the wheel. They 
have already got Manchuria under their thumb, and they will 
certainly stick to it unless China is backed up by the other 
powers and they unite in insisting that China shall not suffer 
further loss of territory at the hands of the Russians or any- 
one else. There is no question that that is our best policy. 
It is to our interest that China shall remain whole and united 
and capable of holding her own against Russia. Neither 
Britain nor Japan can have any desire for territory, and 
after the war is over, an alliance offensive and defensive be- 
tween these two nations would be worth all the loss of life 
and property we have incurred.” 

“That would be grand. Father. There is no doubt that 
the Japs are beggars to fight. The way they smashed China 
showed that, and the other day they certainly did at least 
as well as the other nationalities. With their fleet and ours 
combined we could hold our own with the greatest ease 
against Russia and France, even if Germany were to join 
them. We are showing them now in South Africa what an 
army we can put in the field, and with our Indian army and 
that of the Japs we could, if pressed, drive the Russians out 
of Asia.” 

“ That would be a big order,” his father laughed, “ but we 
could certainly effectually prevent them from meddling with 
China and make them keep within their own boundaries. 


DELAYS 


249 


Besides, we should have China to count with also. China has 
wakened up since the war with Japan, and has gone in for 
the best modern guns and rifles. If she had let two more 
years pass before beginning this row we should have found 
her a very formidable opponent. Her troops would then have 
become as well-disciplined as ours.” 

“ Well, then, I am very glad, Father, that they did not wait 
for another two years. We found it pretty hard work as it 
was to take Tientsin, and if the greater part of their army 
had not moved out during the night I doubt very much 
whether we should have captured it. It was lucky indeed 
that we stuck to it during the night; it was only that that 
turned the scale. You know the old story, Father, of a 
Chinaman who excused defeat by saying : ‘ Two men cannot 
be in one place; if one must come the other must go/” 

His father laughed. 

“ Well, I have no doubt it is something like that, Rex. 
When the Chinese saw that we were quite determined to get 
into Tientsin, our obstinacy .and fixedness of purpose told 
upon them, and they began to say : ‘ These people have made 
up their minds to come, therefore we had better go/ Cer- 
tainly they showed a great deal of pluck during the first 
day’s fighting; even the tremendous cannonade to which they 
were exposed did not seem to shake their courage at all, for 
they fought as stoutly at the end of the day as they did at 
the beginning. We can hardly say that we gained any ad- 
vantage whatever. We certainly have every reason to con- 
gratulate ourselves on the fact that they lost courage when 
they came to think it over after nightfall. * Well, I have not 
the least fear that the force that is starting to-morrow will 
fail. If the Chinese did not stand when fighting behind 
strong walls, supported by a circle of strong forts mounting a 
prodigious number of cannon, it is hardly likely that they 


250 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


will make anything like a determined resistance in the open. 
I anticipate that the difficulties will rather be in getting to 
Pekin than in defeating the enemy. We know that the banks 
of the Peiho have been cut and a large stretch of country 
inundated, and consequently the river is so sunk that it is 
very doubtful whether even the lighter craft among the junks 
will be able to get up. If they cannot, the expedition will be 
in nearly the same position as that of Admiral Seymour. 
They can’t march without provisions, ammunition, and guns, 
and certainly the amount of land transport they have col- 
lected is nothing like sufficient for that. They must chiefly 
depend upon their junks, and if the river fails them they 
are brought to a stand-still.” 

“ I am afraid that is so, Father,” Rex said; “but at any 
rate we must hope for the best.** 


CHAPTER XIII 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 

O NE afternoon Rex went to see his friend the midshipman 
at the barricade. 

“ I wish you would tell me,” Rex said, “ all about the cap- 
ture of the Taku Ports. Beyond the fact that they were 
captured I have heard next to nothing.” 

“ Well, it is rather a long story,” the middy said, “ but as 
everything is quiet, I don’t mind telling you about it if you 
like.” 

“ I should be very much obliged if you would,” Rex said. 

“ Well, then, here goes. You have not seen the place, I 
suppose ? ” 

“ No.” 

“Well, the mouth of the river is strongly fortified, es- 
pecially on the north side, where there is a big casemated fort 
with earthworks, mounting altogether some fifty guns of 
different sizes. A third of a mile farther up the river is the 
inner fort, which is very strong, but smaller than the other, 
and mounts about thirty guns. An earthwork covered-way 
connects the two forts, and the parapet is pierced for many 
small guns. On the south side, extending a mile along the 
shore, are a number of casemated batteries, mounting about 
one hundred and twenty guns. These are good guns, and for 
the most part modern. There is also an inner fort a mile in- 
land, built for the defence of the main magazines. 

“ All these fortifications consist of earthworks with cement 


251 


252 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


and concrete galleries. They are wonderfully well built; 
certainly as good as any I have ever seen. You see, mud 
is the usual substance with which they build houses in 
China, and they are wonderfully clever with it. At many 
points of the fortification there are high and very powerful 
redoubts, which carry* at their angles very big modern guns, 
mostly Krupp quick-firers. All these forts seem to have 
been designed by foreigners; I don’t think the Chinese 
would ever have been up to such work if they hadn’t had 
foreign instructors. Apparently, however, they sacked these 
fellows when they had finished the batteries, and themselves 
carried out the rest of the work. There hasn’t been any 
regular garrison in these forts for some years, but officials 
and hangers-on have resided there. When the row began, 
however, troops came marching in, and we calculated that 
at the time of the bombardment they were occupied by some 
eight thousand men. I fancy they were good soldiers, for 
they came from Hunan, which province is considered to turn 
out the best soldiers in China. Their general, Liu, came from 
the same place. 

“ Unfortunately the water near the forts is very shoal, and 
war-vessels that drew twenty feet of water were obliged to 
heave-to five miles off the bar; that is to say, ten miles off 
the forts. By the fifteenth there were twenty-five foreign 
men-of-war here — British, French, German, Austrian, Rus- 
sian, Italian, and Japanese. An American ship came up a 
day or two before the battle. It was difficult getting news 
so far out, so the admiral’s light-draught yacht anchored 
close outside the bar, and they ran a wire into the destroyer 
Fame , which was anchored just outside the fort. By this 
means despatches were wired out to the yacht, and either 
flashed or semaphored to the fleet. A mile above the fort was 
the Imperial naval yard and docks, and lying moored to the 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 


253 


wharves were four very fine thirty-two-knot German-built 
destroyers, with full Chinese crews on board. 

“ During the day before the battle everyone was on the 
qui vive , for it was known that a summons to surrender next 
day had been sent in to the forts. Only two trains were 
despatched for Tientsin, and both these had to be worked 
by engineers from the fleet, for all the Chinese had dis- 
appeared. A large Japanese force was landed from their 
ship, and encamped by the side of the railway at Tongku, 
two miles from the forts. Later in the day they shifted camp 
to the other side of the railway, to make room for a large 
Russian infantry force that had just come in from Port 
Arthur. Two hundred blue-jackets from our ships encamped 
near them in the evening, at the head of the road to the 
forts. A train came down from Tientsin in the afternoon 
containing a number of foreigners, principally women and 
children, who at once took shelter on some merchant steamers 
lying off the wharves. 

“During the day the Fame dropped her end of the wire, 
and, steaming up the river, took up her station by the four 
Chinese destroyers in the middle yard. The Algerine, which 
had been lying between the north and south forts, also moved 
up the river to a berth about a third of a mile off the inner 
north fort. A quarter of a mile higher three Russian gun- 
boats were moored in line; higher still lay the German 
gunboats, moored to one of the wharves; and a little lower 
down was the French Lion. At another wharf higher up lay 
the Japanese Atago, and higher up the United States paddle- 
wheel steamer Monocacy. I hope I am not boring you with 
too many particulars ? ” 

“ Not at all, I am much obliged to you for giving me such 
a good account ; I seem to be able to see the whole thing.” 

“Well, I must tell you that the Monocacy had been 


254 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


ordered to take no share in the business, but she did useful 
work in giving shelter to a number of women and children. 
Although we knew that an ultimatum had been sent in, no- 
body dreamed that the rumpus was going to begin so soon. 
We thought that, as usual, messages would be exchanged, and 
that the thing would drag on a little before anything serious 
came of it. The Algerine had her ventilators up, masts all 
standing, and yards crossed. The Germans on the litis had 
landed their boats and ventilators some days before; the 
Lion had housed her ventilators but still had her yards 
crossed. At nine o’clock a long searchlight train went out 
under the command of Lieutenants Kirkpatrick and Riley, 
with the twelve-pounder Hotchkiss, two Maxims, and a hun- 
dred men — German, British, and French. It was stoked by 
British blue- jackets, and was driven by a German engineer 
from the litis. 

“All watched the glare of the searchlight for about three 
hours, till it disappeared across the plain in the direction of 
Tientsin. Then all who were on the port watch turned in. 
We had scarcely got into our hammocks when there was the 
boom of a heavy gun, and you can imagine how quickly we all 
jumped into our clothes again and ran on deck. We could 
see that the inner north fort was firing, and guessed that the 
Algerine , which was lying nearest to her, was the target. No 
return shot came from her, and it was evident that she was 
taken as much by surprise as we were. Bom, bom, bom went 
the big guns. It was about five minutes before the Algerine 
replied, and shortly afterwards the three Russian gun-boats 
returned the fire, and the litis and the Lion also joined in. 

“ Of course, all this part of the business I am telling you 
from hearsay, for we were necessarily only spectators of the 
affray ; and you can imagine, Bateman, that we were hopping 
mad with being altogether out of it. It was enough to 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 


255 


make one tear one’s hair. However, the great part of the 
blue- jackets and marines were ashore, and would soon be 
having a look-in; but there were we, as much out of it as if 
we were off Spithead. Well, of course, now that I have had 
my turn ashore here I am satisfied, but at the time it was 
maddening. 

“ Nevertheless it was a splendid sight, I can tell you. All 
the forts had now joined in, and the flashes that burst from 
them and from the gun-boats were almost incessant. In a 
few minutes the litis steamed down at full speed from her 
wharf and joined the three Russians and the Algerine , the 
crews of which cheered her enthusiastically as she went into 
action. Shortly afterwards the French Lion also came down. 
She had been lying with her head up the river, and so had 
taken longer than the litis. She, too, was warmly welcomed. 
The whole of the forts were now pouring in a heavy can- 
nonade, and every gun that could be brought to bear from 
the six gun-boats replied at a range of hardly a mile. The 
litis, with her eight 3.4 quick-firers, and the Algerine , with 
her 4-inch guns, engaged the north fort. The Lion, with her 
two 5.5-inch guns, joined them, while the three Russians di- 
rected their fire on the south forts. They were all heavily 
armed, the Bohr had a 9-inch gun in her bows, and a 6-inch in 
her stern. The CorTcoretch had two 8-inch guns and one 
6-inch, and the Gilyak had one 4-inch gun in her bows, two 
2.6-inch guns and four 1.8-inch guns in her military top. 

“All the ships kept up a heavy and methodical fire from 
the machine-guns in their tops, and so searched out the 
bastions; while the heavy guns made it impossible for the 
gunners to stick to their work. It was, however, difficult 
to keep up an accurate fire against a gun in the shade of the 
forts. Many of the Chinese soldiers left the fort, and, taking 
cover among the mud-houses, maintained a heavy fire on the 


256 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


men on deck and in the tops, and the Gilyak , which was 
closest to the village, suffered heavily. 

“ Meanwhile the Fame and the Whiting had been ordered 
to attack the four Chinese destroyers lying in dock. As they 
approached, however, the Chinese crews jumped ashore and 
bolted. The Fame grappled one, and towed it down the river 
to Tongku, two tow-boats belonging to a mercantile company 
took the two others in charge, and the Whiting brought out 
the fourth. These four splendid destroyers, if they had been 
manned with resolute crews, could have sunk six gun-boats 
without difficulty. 

“ The battle raged till morning. The gun-boats were doing 
their utmost to keep down the fire of the forts; but although 
the practice was excellent, they quite failed to do so owing to 
the fact that it was impossible to get the exact range. For- 
tunately the fire of the Chinese was extremely inaccurate. 
The gunners were evidently unaccustomed to work heavy 
guns, such as they were now handling, and although they 
stuck gallantly to their work in spite of the large number of 
casualties, they did little damage. Sometimes the powder 
charges were altogether too heavy, sametimes so light that the 
shot never reached the ships. Their shells almost all failed 
to burst. Sometimes a shot would fall close alongside, and 
the next would go clean overhead. 

“ As daylight approached, the boats got up anchor, with 
the exception of the Gilyak , which had received a heavy 
projectile on her water-line. She made water fast, but still 
maintained a heavy fire, and remained at her moorings while 
the damage was being temporarily repaired, though she suf- 
fered severely in consequence. You may imagine what a 
state of mind we were all in on board the larger ships. There 
were those six little boats fighting against a whole chain of 
huge forts that ought to have sunk them at the first round. 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 


257 


“ Meanwhile, of course, our fellows, the Russians, and 
Japs, who had landed the day before, were not idle. Natu- 
rally they got under arms as soon as the first gun was fired, 
but they could really do nothing until daylight, for they were 
ignorant of the country, which was all cut up with dykes and 
ditches. 

“ If the force had tried to cross there in the dark they 
would speedily have been broken up and half of them would 
have been mired. They chafed very much, however, at the 
delay, though they recognized the necessity of it, and they set 
out eagerly at the first gleam of daylight. 

“ When they got up anchor, the gun-boats moved back- 
wards and forwards, engaging a fort here, plumping shell 
into another somewhere else, and seeming to care nothing at 
all for the rain of shot and shell to which they were exposed. 
It was difficult for us to keep count of them, moving about 
as they did, and more than once a good many of us thought 
that one of them was gone. 

" Presently we were all in the boats and making for the 
shore. Day began to break just as we approached the forts. 
At this moment the Chinese gunners doubled their fire, and 
now we thought the gun-boats could never live under such a 
storm of shot and shell. But their fire was as regular as ever, 
and the fact that they were all in motion seemed to bother 
the Chinese gunners as much as the darkness had done. A 
10-inch gun isn’t easily managed by men who have never 
used such a toy before, so that although the fire from the 
smaller guns was more accurate than it had been, it seemed 
to us that the big ones fired less frequently. The litis was hit 
by a heavy shot, and at the same moment a magazine at the 
northern end of the south fort blew up. The Chinese fire 
slackened a little, but in a short time the action was as hot as 


ever. 


258 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“We and the Japs were making for the north forts, and 
the Russians for the other side. I tell you, Bateman, things 
looked nasty. By six o’clock the storming parties were near 
the north forts, and a heavy fire was already opened upon 
them; but they pushed steadily forward until at eighteen 
minutes past six the main magazine of the south forts blew 
up. The concussion was terrible, and a dense black column 
of smoke and fragments of all sorts rose a thousand feet in 
the air. 

“ Firing stopped instantly, and for half a minute a 
dead silence reigned. Then a tremendous cheer rose from the 
gun-boats and storming parties, and the latter raced forward 
to the assault. Firing was renewed more briskly than ever 
on both sides, but at half -past six the resistance had almost 
ceased, and the British flag was hoisted on the north fort, 
followed a minute later by that of the Japanese. The gar- 
rison of the southern fort, appalled by the destruction that 
had been made by the explosion, were already in full flight 
across the plain, and now those on the north side were en- 
deavouring to follow their example. 

“ The number of casualties among the storming party had 
not been large, that of the British and Japanese amounting 
to only twenty-six killed and wounded. The casualties in 
the gun-boats were remarkably few, almost miraculously so 
considering the fire to which they had been exposed. The 
Russians had suffered most, having sixteen men killed and 
three officers and fifty-two men wounded; the Germans had 
six killed and fifteen wounded; the French one officer killed 
and one man wounded; and the British three men killed and 
one officer wounded. The Chinese actually in the forts con- 
sisted of three thousand men. The rest were in support 
behind and near the line of railway, and took no part in 
the affair. Nearly one thousand killed were found in the 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 


259 


forts, and the prisoners, who were nearly as many, were set 
to throw the bodies into the river. 

“ All communications ceased with Tientsin from the time 
of the capture of the forts, and it was not till some days after- 
wards that we learned from a man who rode through the 
Chinese lines that the place was besieged and that the garri- 
son were hardly able to hold their own. 

“ There is no doubt that it was a fine action, and we, who 
had been left on board the ship, were very sore at being out 
of it ; but, of course, even if we had been ashore, we should 
only have been with the assaulting column, and their share in 
the business was a very small one. The gun-boats had all 
the fighting and all the glory. I dare say, however, that we 
shall get our share presently. I don’t think the Chinese are 
much good in the open, but I fancy they can stick to their 
walls, and in the narrow streets we may have very sharp 
work.” 

“ It must have been a grand affair,” Rex said. “ Fancy six 
little gun-boats fighting for so many hours against forts 
mounting nearly three hundred guns! Of course some of 
these couldn’t be brought to bear upon them, but there must 
have been enough to blow them out of the water in a quarter 
of an hour.” 

“ One would certainly think so, but we must remember that 
the guns had to be very much depressed, and the gunners 
could not very well make out the boats in the dark. Of 
course the flashes of their guns showed their position, but 
I expect the Chinese, who were new hands at the work, did 
not understand how to sling those heavy pieces about or give 
them the right elevation. There is no doubt that they stick 
to their guns manfully. I was talking to some of the Al- 
gerine fellows and they told me that several times when they 
had managed to send shell after shell close to a gun that had 


260 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


been annoying them, it was silent for a half a minute or so 
and then, when they thought that they had finished with it, 
the beggars began to fire again as regularly as before, though 
it is probable that three-fourths of the detachment before 
working it had been blown into smithereens.” 

“Listen! Do you hear the shouting? The relief party 
must be coming in.” 

“ Oh, bother ! ” the middy said ; “ I can’t be there to see it.” 

“ Well, I can,” Rex said, “ I will come back and tell you all 
about it; but I don’t suppose I shall hear much till evening. 
You will be off duty then, won’t you? ” 

“Yes.” 

“ Well, then, come and dine at our place. I shall get hold 
of two or three of the men I went up with if I can.” 

He went off at a run and soon joined a number of resi- 
dents and men off duty who were awaiting the arrival of the 
force. The head of the column was just coming in. A por- 
tion of the relief force led, and then Admiral Seymour’s men, 
many of them carying the sick and wounded on stretchers, 
doors, and other make-shifts. The rest of the force brought 
up the rear. Seeing Major Johnston coming along with his 
marines, Rex pressed forward to shake hands with him. 

“Ah, you got through then, Bateman! I am glad to see 
you ; I have wondered many times whether you got safely 
into Pekin. I certainly did not expect to see you here, 
though I thought we might meet when we marched into 
Pekin.” 

“ Yes, I got in all right. I stopped there till about a week 
ago, and then came back here. If you have nothing better to 
do, will you dine with us this evening, and bring Trimmer 
and Lawson with you ? ” 

“ With pleasure. We shall scarcely have time to make 
any mess arrangements for ourselves.” 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 


261 


“ Have you had heavy fighting ? ” 

“ We have, indeed, and we have lost a good many men. I 
began to think at one time that we should not get back, and 
I believe if we had not taken the arsenal very few of us 
would have survived to tell the tale. However, I will tell 
you about that this evening.” 

u Thank you ! I will run home at once and tell my people 
that you are coming.” 

Rex hurried home and told his mother that four officers 
were coming to dinner. 

“ I did not say anything about sleeping here, Mother, but 
if you can manage it I am sure it would be a blessing to 
them, for they have only just got in, and will certainly not be 
able to make other arrangements.” 

“ They will have to be content with very simple fare,” 
Mrs. Bateman said. “ Of course, no fresh meat can be had, 
so we shall have to manage on tinned meat and vegetables, of 
which, fortunately, we have an abundant and varied supply.” 

“You may be sure that they will not be particular, 
Mother, for I expect they have been on very short rations 
for some time. You give us a capital dinner every day, and 
I am sure you can turn out as good a one for them.” 

Mrs. Bateman smiled. 

“ Well, I dare say we shall manage something that will be 
good enough for hungry men.” 

Rex then went down to his friend the middy. 

“ I have nothing to tell you, Robinson,” he said, “ but 
Johnston and two of his chums are going to dine with us, so 
you will hear it all then, and my mother says she can give 
you a bed for the night.” 

“ Thanks ! that is a luxury indeed, Bateman, only it will be 
awful getting up so as to be here on duty again at six in the 
morning.” 


262 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Oh, nonsense ! no one wants to sleep after five in this 
weather. I am generally up soon after four.” 

“ Yes, but you must remember that I have had no sleep to 
speak of for the past three days, and the chances are that 
we shan’t turn in until midnight, as we shall have to hear 
all about the expedition. However, I will put in as much 
sleep as I can between that hour and five. I had a good four 
hours this morning.” 

At half -past seven the three marines and the middy arrived 
at Mr. Bateman’s. Rex had, an hour before, gone to Major 
Johnston, and told him that it had been arranged that he and 
his friends were to sleep in the house. 

“ That will be a great comfort, Bateman,” he said ; “ we 
have not had our clothes off for three weeks, and it will be 
delicious to lie down between sheets and to have a bath in the 
morning. I warn you, though, that we shall want a bath 
before dinner, for we can’t sit down to a table as we are.” 

“ All right, Major ! if you come round in half an hour you 
will find one ready for you.” 

Accordingly, on their arrival they were shown at once to 
their rooms. 

“ I cannot tell you, Bateman,” the major said as they came 
downstairs again, “how much we are obliged to you. A 
good dinner is not a thing to be despised, but a bath is even 
a greater luxury. I am sure I could not have enjoyed dinner 
unless I had had the bath, for we have had few opportuni- 
ties for washing since we left here.” 

An excellent dinner was served, and was greatly enjoyed 
by the four guests. 

“ I can assure you, Mr. Bateman,” the major said, “ that 
while eating your good fare it is difficult to believe that 
the past three weeks have not been a very uncomfortable 
dream.” 


CAPTUKING THE TAKU FOETS 


263 


“ How have you been getting on, Mr. Robinson, since you 
came here ? ” Mr. Bateman asked. 

“ Nothing to grumble at, sir. We had pretty hard work 
the first two days, but, thanks to your son, we now have a 
quiet day of it.” 

Rex uttered- a sharp warning ejaculation as Robinson 
spoke, but he had not thought of telling him that he and his 
companions wished nothing to be said about the adventure. 

“ Thanks to my son ! ” Mr. Bateman repeated in surprise ; 
“ what can Rex have had to do with it ? ” 

The midshipman, who had too late heard Rex’s ejaculation, 
hesitated. 

“ I did not know that he had not told you, sir,” he said, 
“or else you may be sure I should have said nothing about 
it.” 

“Well, but what was it?” he asked. 

The midshipman looked appealingly at Rex, and the latter 
said: “Well, Father, it was a little enterprise that Watson 
and Laurence and I carried out on our own account ; nothing 
worth talking about.” 

“ Well, but what was it, Rex? ” his father persisted. “ Mr. 
Robinson says that it has given him better times.” 

“ Well, Father, the fact is, we three and Ah Lo went out 
and silenced those two guns that were so annoying for some 
days.” 

“Well, but how did you do it, Rex? Now we know so 
much, of course we want to know the rest. What do you 
know about it, Mr. Robinson ? ” 

“ Well, sir, all I really know about it is that your son came 
to me and asked me to allow a lantern to stand on the barri- 
cade. Of course I said that there was no objection to that. 
Then we went back fifty or sixty yards and placed another 
lantern on a window, so that the two lanterns together were 


264 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


in the exact line with those guns. At midnight Hex and his 
two friends, with the Chinaman, went out, and that is practi- 
cally all I know about the matter. I certainly had no idea 
that Rex had kept the affair a secret. It is certainly a thing 
of which he had a right to feel very proud, for it was a 
plucky business, and one which I was very much tempted to 
take part in.” 

“Now then, Bateman,” Major Johnston said, “you see 
your light cannot be hid under a bushel, so you had better 
make a clean breast of the affair.” 

Rex saw that it was of no use making any further mystery 
of it, so he briefly explained how the idea had come into his 
mind, and how Watson and Laurence had agreed to join him, 
the steps they had taken for placing the lantern to enable 
them to find the guns in the dark, how Robinson had ex- 
plained the working of the various parts of the guns to them, 
and how they had carried their plan into successful execu- 
tion. 

“You ought not have done it,” his father said, when he 
had finished. 

“ But,” Major Johnston said, “ I don’t think, Mr. Bateman, 
that your son is to be blamed. It was a splendidly plucky 
action for which everyone in the settlement should thank him, 
for it appears that these guns were doing an immense amount 
of damage. It was an act which I or any other officer in 
Her Majesty’s service would have been proud to perform.” 

“ I admit all that,” Mr. Bateman said, “ but Rex is always 
running into danger. I grant that so far he has got through 
safely, but you know the result of taking a pitcher to a well 
too often.” 

“ I don’t think he is likely to come to harm,” the major 
said, “ for it is not as if he undertook these things without 
thoroughly working his plans out, so that failure is almost an 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 


265 


impossibility. On our way up he gave me a brief account of 
how he had got his cousins out of that rascally governor’s 
yamen. I could not get the full details out of him, but 
judging from what he told me it was certainly an admirably- 
managed affair. I think, Mr. Bateman, that you have a 
right to be very proud of him. If he had been in the army 
he would certainly have earned a V. C. for the way in which 
he silenced those guns.” 

“ Yes, I admit all that,” Mr. Bateman said, “ and won’t 
scold, but all this keeps his mother and myself in a state of 
great anxiety.” 

“ I don’t think, Father,” Rex said, “ that in an affair of 
this sort the risk is anything compared with that which one 
runs in a regular fight. These little excursions I have made 
have had very little risk in them — practically none. When 
you come to think of it, I can pass anywhere as a Chinaman, 
and as I have always travelled at night I have been exposed 
to practically no danger whatever.” 

“ And so you had sharp fighting here, Mr. Bateman ? ” the 
major said, changing the subject. 

“Not actually severe fighting; that is, the Chinese have 
never got up really close to us, although they have made 
a good many rushes, but the bombardment has been very 
heavy. The French settlement is practically destroyed, and 
a large number of our houses will have to be rebuilt. But 
worse than the artillery fire has been the sniping, which has 
been continuous all round, but more especially on the other 
side of the river, where it has been absolutely incessant, and 
where it has been dangerous in the extreme to show one’s 
nose outside one’s door. We have done our best to keep it 
down, but I cannot say that success has attended our efforts, 
for the Chinese have lain hid among the houses and ruins, 
and never show themselves except to fire.” 


266 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN" 


“Have the casualties been heavy?” 

“No; very slight indeed, which,” he added with a smile, 
“ speaks well either for our prudence or for the bad marks- 
manship of the enemy. We have brought cannon to bear 
upon them, but they stick there with great tenacity, and I 
fancy we shall find it very hard work to drive them out from 
Tientsin. There is the fort, and the yamen, and several 
other strong buildings; the wall, too, and its defences are 
strong, and if they stick there as stubbornly as they have 
done across the river, the city will certainly not be taken 
without considerable loss of life.” 

“Do you know when we are going to begin, Mr. Bate- 
man ? ” 

“I believe the Bussians are going to turn out to-morrow 
morning; they have only been waiting for your return. Now, 
I fancy, they will consider that we have strength enough for 
anything.” 

“ I should think we have,” the major said. “ I am sorry to 
say that you must not put Seymour’s force above half the 
strength at which it started. There has been a lot of illness, 
we have suffered much from hunger and privation, we lost 
a good many men in the attack on the forts, and many of 
those still in the ranks will not be fit for service until they 
have had a few days’ rest. If we put a thousand in line to- 
morrow it would be as much as could be fairly calculated 
upon. Still, many of those who would not be fit to take part 
in the attack would be useful for the defence of the town if 
the Chinese should make a counter attack while the best part 
of the force is away.” 

“ Now, Major, we are all burning with curiosity to know 
what has happened to you while you have been away. We 
have heard a score of rumours, but not one authentic fact. 
We heard that you had entered Pekin, that you had been 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 


267 


massacred, that you had disappeared as effectually off the 
face of the earth as if it had opened and swallowed you up. 
The very first news we got of your existence was from my 
son, who reported that on his way down from Pekin he 
heard heavy and continuous firing in the arsenal of Hsi-Ku, 
and he concluded that your force must be engaged. Some 
thought that you must be attacking the place, others that you 
had taken it and were now besieged. The latter certainly 
seemed the most reasonable, unless indeed, it was fight 
between the Boxers and the regular Chinese troops; for if 
you had not got possession of the arsenal, it was impossible 
to imagine how you had obtained sufficient provisions to keep 
you alive so long.” 

“ Yes, that supposition was the correct one, and we were 
quite on our last legs before we took the place.” 

“Well, will you please tell us the whole story; it is not 
nine o’clock yet, so that, unless you are so dead tired that 
you cannot go through with it, you will get it done in reason- 
able time.” 

“ I shall be very happy to do so,” the major said. “ If you 
had asked me this afternoon when we came in, I should have 
said frankly that I did not feel equal to it ; but the bath and 
the excellent dinner you have given us, have quite set me on 
my legs again. 

“ You will already have heard from your son what hap- 
pened on our way up from Lang Fang, and of the little fight 
we had on the 14th of June. Well, the next day the outposts 
ran in and reported that the Boxers were at hand in great 
numbers. The enemy arrived close on their heels and made a 
determined rush at the fore part of the leading train, which 
was drawn up beside a well, where the men were engaged in 
watering. They were met by a withering fire, but pushed on 
with extreme bravery and did not fall back until some of 


268 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


them actually reached the train. Then they could do no 
more, and retreated, leaving about a hundred dead. This 
certainly gave us a better idea of their courage, and the 
difficulties we should be likely to encounter, than anything 
that had yet happened. 

“ At half-past five in the afternoon a messenger arrived on 
a trolley from the rear, to say that Lofa station was attacked 
by a very strong force of the enemy. Number two train had 
steam up, and the admiral at once took a strong force down 
in it. On their arrival at the station they found that the 
fight was over, and the enemy having fallen back discom- 
fited, the reinforcements started in pursuit, and harried their 
retreat for some distance, accounting for about a hundred of 
them and capturing a few small cannon. 

“ The next day we remained at Lang F ang, a strong body 
being employed in repairing the line. Under the protection 
of a guard a train went back to Lofa, and on its return we 
learned that the repairs we had affected on the line beyond 
that place had been a good deal broken up. Later, the officer 
of the guard at Lofa came in, and reported that three large 
bodies of Boxers were moving about in the distance, and that 
he expected an attack would be made on the station. How- 
ever, they moved off quietly. They were probably on their 
way to destroy the line, for a train that left at four the next 
morning for Tientsin came back in the afternoon, with the 
news that the line was so completely broken up round Lofa 
that it could not be repaired with the materials and Aen on 
board. 

“ The admiral left an hour later to see for himself the state 
of the line. He pushed on for some distance, his men repair- 
ing the line as they went, till he reached Yangstun, but only 
to find that beyond that point the line was entirely destroyed. 
It was now evident to the admiral, and to all of us, that if we 


CAPTURING THE TAKU FORTS 


269 


continued to stop at Lang Fang we should ere long have to 
stop there permanently, for our provisions were almost 
entirely exhausted. The admiral had seen this some days 
before, and had sent off several messengers to Tientsin to 
ask that junks should be sent up the river, and ammunition 
and provisions forwarded by train to Yangtsun, his intention 
being to establish a base there. But we never heard any more 
of these messengers, and the fact stared us in the face that 
we were absolutely cut off from Tientsin. 


CHAPTER XIV 


SURROUNDED 

O N the seventeenth messages were sent to Lofa and Lang 
Fang to recall the three trains there, but it was evident 
that it would be impossible to utilize them for our retreat, as 
they might be suddenly cut off by the Boxers. One came in 
on the afternoon of the next day, and the others arrived in 
the evening. They had had some very sharp fighting. The 
German naval officer, who was in charge of the two trains, 
reported that he had been attacked early that afternoon by 
a force of fully five thousand men, including cavalry, a great 
proportion of whom were armed with magazine rifles of the 
latest pattern. The attack was made both in front and on the 
flanks. The troops marched out against them, and although 
exposed to a heavy fire, forced them to retreat. Nevertheless, 
when our men retired towards the train, the enemy rallied 
and advanced again with the evident determination to gain 
their object; but being beaten off with more loss than before, 
they finally retreated. Their loss was over four hundred 
killed, while we had six killed and forty-eight wounded. In 
the course of the fight a banner was captured which belonged 
to the army of Tung-Eu-Hsiang. This was the first indica- 
tion we had that the Imperial Chinese troops had taken the 
field against us. 

“A conference of the commanding officers of the various 
nationalities was held the next day, and it was decided that, 


270 


SURROUNDED 


271 


as the railway was completely destroyed on both sides of 
them, and they could not use it either for advance or re- 
treat, it would be better to endeavour to withdraw to Tien- 
tsin. Preparations were at once made. The wounded and 
the few remaining stores were carried down and placed on 
board some junks that had been captured on the previous 
day, and at three o’clock in the afternoon a start was made. 
Progress, however, was not destined to be rapid, for the junks 
had not gone far before they grounded in a shallow reach of 
the river. Three of them were got off pretty easily; but a 
six-pounder quick-firing gun of the Centurion had to be 
thrown overboard to lighten the fourth before she would 
float. In consequence of this delay, we had only made two 
and a half miles when night fell. We started early the next 
morning and were fighting all day, but progress was very 
much retarded by the necessity for keeping abreast of the 
junks. The management of these lubberly craft was beyond 
the European sailors, and as no Chinaman could be got to 
navigate them they were continually running across the 
river and getting stuck, so that from four o’clock in the 
morning till six in the evening the force only advanced eight 
miles. 

“ The fighting began at a quarter-past nine. The Chinese 
occupied a village near the bank, and when they were driven 
out they fell back to the next village. Here they were re- 
inforced, and village after village had to be carried either by 
rifle fire, or, in some cases, where the resistance was too ob- 
stinate, by a bayonet charge. The Chinese stood splendidly 
against our rifle fire, but they could not bring themselves 
to face the bayonet; the cheers of our men seemed to take 
all the spirit out of them. In the afternoon the Chinese 
opened fire with a one-pounder quick-firing gun. It did not 
do any great damage, but it harassed the troops in their ad- 


272 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


vance, especially when they had to cross open ground. The 
enemy were using smokeless powder, and consequently, as 
the gun was frequently shifted, we found it impossible to 
locate its position and so to keep down its fire with musketry. 

“ It was a very trying day. The heat was great, the water 
in the water-bottles was soon exhausted, and the men were 
too busily engaged to go down to the river to refill them. The 
next day was even worse. A start was made at half-past 
seven, and we had not gone far when we saw some two hun- 
dred cavalry on the left flank of the advance guard. All 
hoped at first that this was a detachment of Cossacks who 
had come to our aid, but this hope was doomed to disappoint- 
ment, for as they drew nearer their dress showed that they 
were Chinese troops. For the rest of the day they hovered 
about on our left flank, firing when they saw an opportunity ; 
but a few well-directed shrapnel-shell from the nine-pounder 
sufficed to keep them at a distance. As soon as they had 
retired, after reconnoitring our position, they opened fire 
with a field-gun and a one-pounder quick-firing gun. We 
replied with our nine-pounder and machine-guns, and as the 
enemy were using ordinary powder, the smoke of which 
showed their position, they were soon obliged to shift. They 
were quiet for a time, but they began again in the course of 
the day, always, however, with the same result. Fighting 
went on continuously, as village after village, and the town 
of Peitsang, which is the chief place between Yangtsun and 
Tientsin, had to be carried. 

“ At six o’clock in the evening we halted, having arrived 
opposite a very strong position held by the enemy, from which 
we were unable to dislodge them. The commanding officers 
held a council of war, and decided that, after we had had 
some refreshment and a few hours’ rest, we should make a 
night march as the best chance of getting through. We had 


SURROUNDED 


273 


made only six miles during the day, owing to the stubborn 
resistance of the enemy and their increased gun power. 

“ In the course of the evening the field and machine-guns 
were placed on board a junk that had been taken on the 
previous day, and at one o’clock in the morning the march re- 
commenced. Fires were soon seen at a little distance from 
the river bank, and it was obvious that the enemy were by 
this means signalling our approach. A heavy fire opened on 
the force from a village some hundred yards ahead, and a 
shell from a field-piece struck the junk that was carrying the 
guns, and she filled and had to be abandoned. The guns un- 
fortunately, could not be got off, but the Maxims were 
saved. The village was carried by the marines with fixed 
bayonets. 

“At four o’clock we arrived opposite a great building, 
which turned out to be the Imperial arsenal of Hsi Ku. Two 
unarmed soldiers came out from a house a hundred yards 
from the bank with the evident intention of communicating 
with us. Our advance halted, and the men, when they came 
up, made some simple enquiries as to who we were and where 
we were going. Having got what information they wanted 
they sauntered back to the houses, from which, as soon as 
they reached them a heavy fire was opened with rifles and 
guns. Fortunately there was good cover close at hand. 
Some of our fellows occupied a neighbouring village, and 
others took shelter behind the river embankment. 

“ It was then decided to take the arsenal. The resistance 
was becoming more severe with every yard the force ad- 
vanced, the provisions were almost exhausted, and the troops, 
who had been for some time on half-rations, were exhausted 
with the heat and their continual exertions. The attack was 
begun with a heavy rifle fire against a Hotchkiss gun in the 
north corner of the arsenal and two guns on the river front, 


274 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


which were soon silenced. A body of marines and seamen 
was then directed to cross the river higher up, and, if possible, 
to rush the enemy’s position at the north corner. Fortu- 
nately there was a village only a hundred and fifty yards 
from this point, and the sailors, having crawled up there 
unobserved, dashed out of cover at the double with a cheer, 
in which the troops on the other side of the river joined, and 
the Chinese at the corner they were making for bolted at 
once. Lower down the river a German detachment had 
crossed and captured the guns in their front, and subse- 
quently several others. Between them the two bodies cleared 
out the armoury. 

“ In the afternoon the Chinese made a most determined 
attempt to retake the arsenal, advancing boldly under a very 
heavy shell fire. As, however, we had the captured guns, 
we drove the enemy back with heavy losses, but not before 
we had suffered considerably ourselves. The main body of 
the troops and the wounded were in the meantime crossing, 
and late in the afternoon the whole force was safe in the 
arsenal. 

“ Things looked better now than they had done since we 
had left Tientsin. Of course we had no knowledge at all of 
what was going on there, and thought that we should only 
have to maintain ourselves till a force was sent out to our 
assistance. 

“ Several messengers had been sent on during the march, 
and during the night three officers with a hundred marines 
set out to try to make their way down to Tientsin. They 
had scarcely started, however, when they encountered a deter- 
mined resistance. Bugles sounded in all directions, and find- 
ing that the whole force of the enemy was upon them, and 
having lost four of their number, they had no option but to 
fall back. At daylight the Chinese made another desperate 


SURROUNDED 


275 


attempt to retake the armoury, and maintained this until 
eight o’clock, when they were beaten off. 

“ We had now time to make a thorough investigation of 
the contents of the various buildings, and to our delight we 
found a store of some fifteen tons of rice. This placed us 
for some time beyond the risk of starvation. We discovered, 
too, an immense supply of guns, arms, and ammunition, and 
war material of the latest pattern, so that we felt capable of 
holding out for a long time. At a council of war it was con- 
sidered to be impossible to force a way down, for we had now 
no fewer than two hundred and thirty wounded to carry. 
Our first move was to mount a number of guns on the various 
fronts of the arsenal, and with these we opened fire upon a 
Boxer stronghold situated near the arsenal and the Chinese 
fort lower down the river. The effect was excellent; the 
Chinese retired, and made no fresh attempt to retake the 
place. 

“ On the twenty-fifth European troops were reported in 
sight, and at seven o’clock the relief column under Colonel 
Shirinsky arrived at the fort. Preparations were at once 
made for the evacuation of the armoury and for the destruc- 
tion of the arsenal. The wounded were transported across 
the river in the afternoon, and the whole force followed later. 
At three o’clock on the following morning we started, two 
officers remaining behind to set fire to the ammunition and 
store-houses. Fires were lit in five separate places, and from 
the volumes of smoke that rose from the building, and the 
explosions which we heard from that direction, the destruc- 
tion seemed fairly complete. The officers crossed the river 
after lighting the fires, mounted ponies that were waiting 
for them, and then rejoined the main body, which met with 
no further resistance. 

u The country through which we passed was flat, and along 


276 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


the river banks villages of mud-huts, generally surrounded 
with enclosures of dried reeds, were scattered at frequent 
intervals. Near the villages high reeds grew plentifully in 
patches, and trees were numerous. These, with the entrench- 
ments for irrigation and against flood, and the graves every- 
where scattered about, afforded excellent cover to the enemy; 
they seldom exposed themselves, always withdrawing as we 
advanced. Their fire was generally very high; had it been 
otherwise we should have suffered very severely. Altogether, 
I think that, although we failed in our object, the affair has 
been very creditable, and, considering the difficulties to 
which we were exposed, none of those who took part in it 
have any reason to be ashamed of what they have done. At 
the beginning our opponents were largely armed only with 
swords and spears, but in the latter part we had to encounter 
trained troops excellently armed and provided with guns, and 
there can be no doubt that all these belonged to the regular 
army.” 

“ Thank you very much. Major Johnston, for your interest- 
ing account!” Mr. Bateman said. “We have been fighting 
nearly as hard here for the past ten days, and I hope now 
that in a short time we shall begin to turn the tables upon 
them. I expect you will have hard work before you to take 
Tientsin, for there you will probably be opposed by all the 
troops with whom you have hitherto been engaged. I have no 
doubt that they have followed you down to-day, anticipating 
that we shall now take the offensive.” 

“Yes, I expect we shall have some stiff fighting,” Major 
Johnston said, “ but you may be sure that we sha’n’t shirk it. 
Well, I think now, with your permission, that we will turn 
in. We had no sleep to speak of last night, and may be 
wanted again early in the morning.” 

The three officers were up early and went down to see after 


SURROUNDED 


277 


the marines, and Rex went out with them to hear what was 
going to be done. The town presented a very different ap- 
pearance from that which it had shown for the past ten days. 
The streets were no longer deserted, but swarmed every- 
where with troops; bugles were blowing, and all was life and 
bustle. The houses that had been closed were open again, 
and men congratulated each other that the strain was over. 
Rex went down to the shed which was the head-quarters of 
the volunteers. Here some twenty or thirty had already as- 
sembled. Rex was, of course, in the simple uniform of the 
corps, and had brought his rifle with him. 

“ What is going to be done ? ” he asked. 

“We don’t know yet,” said one of his friends. “The 
Russians are certainly going to march out, and I suppose a 
mixed column will also go, in which case we shall accompany 
it. I expect we shall get orders before long.” 

Tientsin is one of the most important towns in China. 
Standing as it does at the junction of the Peiho, the 
Grand Canal, the Lupi Canal, and five smaller streams 
and canals, it is not only the port of Pekin, but prac- 
tically the sole outlet of the trade of the whole of the north- 
western provinces of China. Its population amounts to 
nearly a million, and its trade is considerably better than 
that of Canton, and is exceeded only by that of Shanghai. 
The native city is enclosed in sombre walls, and lies some 
two miles farther up the river than the foreign settlements. 
The imports of Tientsin include not only European manu- 
factures, but also sugar, salt, and the tribute rice of the 
southern provinces. From the interior there is a vast export 
trade in the wood and furs of Manchuria and Mongolia, the 
teas of Hang- Chow, and the ground-nuts and bristles of 
Chih-li. 

The foreign trade was growing rapidly, and would have 


278 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


increased still more but for the want of water in the Peiho. 
This river is about the size of the Thames at Richmond, but 
it used to be deep, with rapid currents, and large ocean- 
going steamers were able to come up to the settlements to 
unload. The extensive canal and irrigation works, however, 
have of late years greatly diminished the flow of water, so 
that now vessels of any considerable draught have to remain 
outside the bar, thirteen miles out at sea, and even small 
vessels can only come as far as Tonku, three miles up the 
river mouth. 

As soon as it was known. that the allied generals had 
decided upon the bombardment of the city, earnest protesta- 
tions were made by the leading merchants of all nationalities, 
but the military necessities overruled their wishes. Until the 
town was captured the settlements would be practically be- 
leaguered, and it would be impossible to make an advance to 
Pekin and leave the large Chinese force in the city behind. 
Moreover, if the advance did not take place, not only would 
the Legations at Pekin inevitably fall, but the life of every 
European in China would be in jeopardy. Consequently 
the allied generals arrived unanimously at the conclusion that 
the bombardment and assault of Tientsin was an absolute 
and vital necessity. Already there had been an enormous 
loss of life there. Thousands, if not tens of thousands, of the 
Chinese suspected of being favourable to the allies had been 
sacrificed, and in the perpetration of these outrages whole 
streets had been destroyed by fire. It was therefore necessary, 
if for no other reason, to inflict a terrible lesson upon the 
Chinese troops who occupied the city. 

The Chinese were convinced that it would be impossible 
for the Europeans to capture their city, held as it was by a 
greatly superior force of regular Chinese troops, and pro- 
tected by a very large number of guns. 


SURROUNDED 


279 


The bombardment was to be greatly deplored, for the enor- 
mous injury inflicted upon Tientsin could not but cripple 
the trade there for many years, and probably divert it to 
other channels. Still, the necessity could not be denied, 
grievous though its effects might be. 

The Russians had already started from their camp, which 
was on the opposite side of the river, in the foreign settle- 
ments, and marched against the Peiyang arsenal, which is on 
the same side, about a mile and a half up. It was defended 
by several thousand Chinese, with six nine-pounder Krupps. 
The attack had to be made across an open plain, and this was 
swept by an incessant rifle fire, while the Chinese artillery 
made excellent practice. The casualties mounted up quickly, 
and before long a halt was called, and messengers were sent 
to Tientsin to ask for reinforcements. 

When the messengers arrived, the bugle sounded and the 
troops hastily assembled. The whole of the Naval Brigade, 
under Captain Bourke of the Orlando, was called out, includ- 
ing a battalion of marines under Major Johnston, and with 
them went a twelve-pounder gun from the Terrible. The 
American Marine Artillery also went out, together with a 
detachment of Tientsin volunteers. When they got to the 
scene of action, they found the Russians shelling the arsenal 
under cover of the railway embankment. 

No movement was made till eleven o’clock, when a Russian 
shell exploded in the principal Chinese magazine, which con- 
tained no less than eighty tons of powder. The explosion 
was terrific, and for some minutes a great cloud of smoke 
hung over the arsenal. The shock was so severe that soldiers 
who were standing up at the time were thrown off their feet 
by it, and the sound was heard distinctly at Taku, thirty 
miles away. The British had increased their fire, and shortly 
afterwards a Terrible twelve-pounder put a shell into the 


280 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


smaller magazine, which also blew up. Each explosion was 
hailed by the troops with tremendous cheers, which a few 
minutes later were redoubled when the Chinese were seen 
leaving the fort. The British and Americans, who were 
nearer than the Russians, at once advanced at the double. 
Some Chinese, composed of sterner stuff than their comrades, 
still kept up their fire, causing some casualties, but they 
also retreated in good time to secure their own safety. 

When the storming party was close to the arsenal, what 
seemed to be a tremendous musketry fire broke out from the 
building, and, supposing that there was still a very large 
force there, the troops halted. Presently, however, the fire 
ceased altogether, and they again advanced. When they 
entered the place they discovered that the fire that had 
checked them was not musketry, but long strings of crackers 
which the Chinese had prepared to check any storming party, 
and thus secure their own retreat. Angry as the troops were 
at being deceived, they laughed heartily at the trick that had 
been played upon them. 

After the arsenal was occupied, a large mixed force of 
Chinese regulars and Boxers came out from Tientsin city, at 
the back of the railway-station, and placed themselves be- 
tween the arsenal and the river, on the very ground the Brit- 
ish and Americans had occupied, and their first act was to 
massacre all the wounded who had been left there. One poor 
fellow alone was saved, for although he had been very seri- 
ously wounded in both legs he managed to run, and the 
British-Chinese regiment coming up at the moment, he was 
able to reach the arsenal in safety. 

The murder of the wounded exasperated the troops to the 
last degree, and palliated, if it did not excuse, the general 
refusal of quarter to the Chinese during the campaign. In 
Tientsin a document was found showing that rewards had 


SURROUNDED 


281 


been paid to several Chinese who had brought in the heads 
of British and American soldiers. 

The capture of the arsenal enabled all the women and 
children to be sent away within the next few days, which was 
a fortunate occurrence, for large reinforcements of Chinese 
troops entered the city the day after, and the settlements 
were again exposed to a vigorous fire. 

Reinforcements were coming up, but even yet the force was 
not considered sufficiently strong to attack Tientsin. '1’he 
destruction caused by the Chinese fire was very great; num- 
bers of houses were burnt, many containing stores of great 
value. In one of these alone, twenty thousand pounds worth 
of furs and other Chinese produce was consumed. 

Rex was maddened by the delay which occurred after the 
arsenal had been taken. It was a fixed idea among the mili- 
tary men that Pekin had fallen, and its occupants had been 
massacred. Many rumours to this effect had indeed been 
received, and Rex found his assertions that the Legations 
were well able to hold out received with absolute incredulity. 
He repeatedly urged his opinion on Major Johnston, but 
that officer said that all the officers in command were so 
firmly convinced that it was quite useless for him to bring 
the matter before them. 

“ You see,” he said, “ it is now a fortnight since you left 
the place, and it may very well have fallen by this time. 
You yourself reported the state of things on your arrival, 
but so much has occurred since then, and the Chinese have 
fought so pluckily, that one cannot imagine it possible that 
the mere handful of men in the Legations can have resisted 
any determined attack. At the time you left, the news of 
the fighting here could not have arrived, but I fear that when 
the fierce fighting here became known, the anger of the 
Chinese would be raised to such a point that they would 


282 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


make a general and furious attack on the Legations, in 
which case you acknowledge yourself that they must have 
fallen. Besides, however anxious everyone may be for our 
advance, nothing can be done until Tientsin is taken.” 

Rex could not but acknowledge the justice of this reason- 
ing. He was strongly tempted to make another journey to 
Pekin, but so many of Admiral Seymour’s messengers had 
failed that he felt that he could not ask his father’s permis- 
sion to undertake it. He spent his days, whether on or off 
duty, at the Barricades, keeping up a vengeful fire on the 
Chinese. His love of fun had entirely left him, and his face 
was as stern as that of the oldest soldier. 

“ It is horrible, Father,” he said, “ to think that the girls 
and all others in the Legation may be massacred before we 
get there. I won’t believe that it has been captured yet, in 
spite of the numerous reports that reach us; but if we keep 
on delaying as we are doing now, the Legations may very 
well have fallen before we get there. I bitterly regret that 
I came down, for I might, had I remained at Pekin, have 
succeeded somehow in saving the girls.” 

“I don’t think you could have done so, and you would 
only have thrown away your own life. You must remember 
that, dear as the girls are to us, you are naturally far dearer. 
It is a very serious business attacking Tientsin, and a repulse 
would be telegraphed all over China and turn all the 
waverers against us. It would be an awful affair, and eagerly 
as I long for a relieving force to set out, I feel that it cannot 
be attempted until we have a force sufficient to ensure the 
capture of Tientsin, and to be able to fight its way up against 
the opposition which it will certainly meet with.” 

“ Possibly that opposition will not be serious, Father, when 
we have once turned them out of Tientsin.” 

“That is possible, Rex; but I fear that even then there 


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will be delays. It is a great pity that this force is not under 
one head, and composed of men of one nation. As it is, every 
step to be taken has to be discussed and decided upon by the 
officers in command of the various nationalities. There are, 
it is well known, all sorts of bickerings and jealousies be- 
tween them. The Russians want to have everything their 
own way, and the general opinion is that they are fighting 
only for their own advantage, and that they are bent upon 
the destruction of Tientsin and the practical annihilation 
of the trade of the place, in order to divert the whole of the 
trade of the north-west to Port Arthur. 

“ The Japanese interest lies exactly the other way. Here 
Japan is acquiring a good share of the trade, but if it were 
turned to the Manchurian port she would lose it altogether. 
Naturally, therefore, as her force here is about as strong as 
that of Russia, her generals are not disposed to let the latter 
entirely have their own way. As for ourselves, our interests 
are as large as all the others put together, and we have had 
more than our share of fighting, but unfortunately we have 
no officer of sufficient rank and command to hold the Rus- 
sians in check. 

“ However, at present no preparations whatever have been 
made for an advance upon Pekin. Nothing is thought or 
talked of but Tientsin, and yet, after the city is taken, there 
will be a great deal to arrange before we can move forward. 
It is certain that the advancing force must move by the 
river; in no other way could the army be provisioned, for 
the railway is wrecked from end to end, and I should say 
that, even with hard work and without opposition, it would 
take at least a month to restore it to order. Well, it will 
be necessary to collect a great number of junks — river junks, 
for the sea-going craft would draw far too much water. 
Then a great quantity of stores must be got together. It 


284 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


seems to me that while the troops are waiting here for rein- 
forcements they ought to be making preparations for the 
advance. 

“ Of course I am no judge whatever of military matters, 
but it does seem to me, as it seems to every civilian here, that 
at least something ought to be done, and that with the force 
we have here it is disgraceful that we should be doing 
nothing while our countrymen are fighting for their lives 
at Pekin. However, I suppose the present state of things 
cannot last indefinitely. I have no doubt that telegrams 
have been sent by all the nations in Europe to their military 
representatives here urging them to make an effort to relieve 
the Legations, though unfortunately, as we learn from 
Shanghai, it appears to be almost a settled conviction in 
Europe, as it is among the military men here, that the Lega- 
tions have already fallen and all within them perished. 

“ The Empress of China is the one person responsible for 
all this mischief. If she had set her face firmly against the 
Boxers from the first, and issued stringent instructions to 
her generals to stamp them out, they would never have been 
formidable. The encouragement that she gave them, and 
the punishment she inflicted upon the few generals who did 
their duty and attacked them, has caused this. It was be- 
cause they were allowed to attack the Legations and destroy 
the railway that the allies were forced to capture the Taku 
Ports, and the capture of the Taku Forts at once caused the 
Chinese army to make common cause with the Boxers. One 
step has been necessitated by another, and were it not that 
the viceroys of the Yangtse Valley have declined to obey her 
commands, and have maintained order in the districts under 
them, the whole of China would be in a blaze, and every 
European outside the treaty ports would have been massacred. 

“ As soon as the affair is over I shall return to Europe, and 


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285 


remain there for at least a couple of years, for certainly there 
will be no renewal of trade within that time. You may be 
sure that every merchant in the Chinese city who carried on 
dealings with us, and was therefore suspected of being well- 
disposed towards us, is among the vast number who have 
been massacred. We know that the quarter inhabited by 
them has been almost destroyed, and before this can be 
rebuilt, and a fresh body of men take their places, a very 
considerable time must elapse.” 


CHAPTEK XV, 


RELIEF IN SIGHT 

AN the afternoon of the 4th of August the British and 
” American troops marched out from Tientsin to Hsi-Ku. 
The route led through the almost deserted and ruined city, 
and through villages which straggled away for miles on the 
northern road. The weather was threatening when the start 
was made, and heavy rain began to fall when they were half- 
way out. The roads soon became soft and slippery, and 
all felt that they would have a bad time of it if the 
weather continued to be wet. The rain ceased, however, when 
they reached their destination. They halted at a village near 
the fort. Here General Gaselee took up his head-quarters, 
while the British troops bivouacked to the left and the 
Americans to the right of the road. Orders were issued for 
an early start, and the troops lay down on the wet and miry 
ground to get what sleep they could. 

The enemy were known to be entrenched in a position 
extending across the river and railway, their right resting 
on an embankment running from Hsi-Ku in a westerly 
direction, their left being five miles away on the other side 
of the river, at a camp near a railway bridge. Beyond this 
the country was inundated. The main body of their force 
was in the centre, where the line crossed the river. Here 
the position was covered by a series of rifle-pits and trenches, 
which, being partly concealed by the high crops, would have 
been very difficult to capture from the hand of a determined 


286 


RELIEF IN SIGHT 


287 


enemy. A grove of trees on the left bank of the river, and 
within the loop made by a double bend, marked the centre 
of the position. A battery of artillery was posted on the 
embankment, and a line of entrenchments across the plain. 
On the left bank of the river the position was protected by 
a canal running along its whole length. 

It had been arranged that the Japanese, British, and 
Americans were to advance against the enemy’s position on 
the right bank of the river; that the Japanese were to lead 
the attack, with the British in support and the Americans 
in reserve; while the Russians and French, assisted by the 
guns of the British Naval Brigade, were to operate on the 
left bank. 

The British and American troops had not a very long 
period of rest, for before the night had passed, the Japs 
arrived, having started after dark. They marched straight 
through the village, and the troops there, by no means sorry 
to lea.ve their uncomfortable quarters, at once got under arms 
and followed them. All moved forward to the westward 
under cover of the embankment upon which the Chinese 
battery stood. It was necessary to capture this before ad- 
vancing against the main position. 

When the orders were issued for the Japs to leave at eight 
o’clock, Rex had been rather disposed to sleep comfortably 
at home, and join them in the morning, for he knew that 
his services would not be required, and as a thunder-storm 
was coming on just as they formed up, that feeling increased. 
Finally, however, he made up his mind to march with the 
troops, and when he found that they were not to halt, but 
were going straight forward to the attack, he rejoiced that he 
had not given way to his first impulse. He had brought with 
him a waterproof sheet and carried his rifle. Ah Lo, who 
of course accompanied him, had a large bag of provisions 


288 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


slung over his shoulders. His waterproof, which he wrapped 
round him, kept him dry during the thunder showers, and 
the brisk march which the Japanese kept up prevented him 
from feeling the cold. 

“ You are not going forward to the attack, are you, 
master?” Ah Lo asked, as they approached the scene of 
action. 

“No; my father only allowed me to come with the force on 
condition that I would not take part in the fighting unless 
the position became so critical that I could not help myself, 
and really I have no desire to fight. I want to be able to 
see what is going on all round, and if I were to go forward I 
should only see the little that happened near me.” 

Presently bright flashes broke out ahead on the embank- 
ment, and these speedily grew into a storm of musketry. As 
it was still dark the Japanese did not suffer heavily, the 
majority of the bullets going overhead. Rex climbed up on 
the embankment, and from there he could see, by their fire, 
that the Japanese advanced steadily till they were close to 
the guns. Then they suddenly stopped firing, but two or 
three minutes later a volley flashed out, evidently but a few 
yards from the Chinese line. For a moment the two lines 
became mixed; then, even above the roar of musketry, Rex 
could hear the cheers of the Japs, and he knew that the guns 
were won. For some distance the fire drifted away along the 
embankment, showing that a hot pursuit was being kept up. 

It was now three in the morning and there was a cessation 
of hostilities for an hour and a half. Then, when the Chi- 
nese position could be made out, the Japanese and British 
guns opened fire upon it from behind the embankment. The 
Chinese replied energetically, but in half an hour their fire 
began to relax, and soon ceased altogether; it was evident 
that they were already withdrawing their guns. 


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289 


Meanwhile the Japanese had been advancing. Supported 
by a mountain battery on their right, and taking cover in 
the high maize, they worked up close to the position held by 
the enemy on the river bank. A little after five o’clock they 
burst out from their cover with a cheer, and dashed at the 
outlying trenches. As they crossed the open they suffered 
heavily from a flanking fire poured in upon them from the 
grove of trees on the other side of the river. The Chinese 
in front also stood sufficiently long to inflict severe loss upon 
them, for they had left the maize in too close formation. 
Without a halt, however, they held on, sweeping the Chinese 
before them, and carrying entrenchment after entrenchment. 
Their cavalry cut up the flying Chinese whenever opportunity 
offered. 

The British and Americans had now come up, and with 
the Japanese on the right, and the Americans on the left, 
the combined force worked their way along the river 
bank. 

Occasionally the Chinese offered some slight resistance at 
long range, and it was expected that they would make a 
stand at Peitsang, where they had a number of strong posi- 
tions. But, as at Tientsin, the panic of the first fugitives 
speedily communicated itself to those behind, and position 
after position was evacuated, without an effort to retain 
them, before the steady advance of the allies. The troops 
moved along the river, clearing out the villages and quicken- 
ing the pace of the fugitives. At nine o’clock they occupied 
Nangsung, and as all firing ceased pushed on to Peitsang, 
which they found deserted, and halted there. 

On the left bank of the river the Russians and French 
had failed to turn the Chinese right in the early morning, 
as they found that the whole country was flooded there, but 
the defeat of the Chinese left involved, of course, the retire- 


290 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


ment of their right, and at nine o’clock the Russians were 
able to occupy the position on the railway. 

Almost the whole of the casualties involved in the battle 
were among the Japanese, who lost sixty killed and two 
hundred and forty wounded. The British had four killed 
and twenty-one wounded, while the Americans, being in 
reserve, had not suffered at all. The loss of the Chinese was 
very small. At one point they had lost fifty killed, but very 
few had fallen in the rest of the entrenchments, owing to 
their hurried flight. They had been defeated simply because 
they had lost heart, a fact which promised well for the success 
of the expedition, for in their flight they had probably com- 
municated their fears to the troops behind them. That in 
an army of twenty-five thousand men there should have been 
only a hundred killed was a proof that the courage that had 
evaporated after their first day’s sturdy defence of Tientsin 
had been by no means restored during the interval that had 
since elapsed. 

The Russians and Trench joined the rest of the force at 
ten o’clock, and that day the baggage came up. It was of 
the most miscellaneous description. There were pack ani- 
mals of all sorts — horses, mules, ponies, and donkeys; there 
were carts of all shapes and sizes, from the great American 
wagons, each drawn by four mules, down to little vehicles 
like costers’ barrows, drawn by little Japanese ponies. Even 
the Japanese, whose arrangements were far better than those 
of the rest of the allies, were but poorly provided. They had 
only intended originally to take a brigade to Pekin, and had 
brought transport sufficient for that; but when so large a 
portion of the British force was detained for work in the 
south, they were obliged to take a division, and consequently 
a double strain was thrown upon their transport. 

On the following morning the main body of the Japanese 



THEIR CAVALRY CUT UP THE FLYING CHINESE 







RELIEF IN SIGHT 


291 


advanced along the right bank of the river, repairing the 
breaches that had been made in it. The British and Ameri- 
cans, with two battalions of Japs and a battery of field- 
artillery, were to advance upon Yangtsun; the Russians and 
French were also to march upon that bank. An early start 
was made, the Russians and French going on ahead of the 
British. They followed the line of the river. General 
Gaselee marched by more direct roads, and, getting ahead 
of them, came into touch with the enemy at half-past nine. 
Their position was a strong one, their right resting on a 
bridge close to the river, in an angle made between it and 
the railway embankment. Near this bridge were the ruins 
of Nangsung railway-station, which formed the centre of 
their position. Their left extended far to the eastward, 
where the town of Nangsung lay hidden behind a number 
of villages. Generals Gaselee and Chaffee took up their 
position on a high sand-hill two miles away from the railway- 
station, from which they were able to direct the operations. 

The enemy’s fire was first drawn by a company of Cossacks, 
who had been sent on ahead of the Russian force to recon- 
noitre. The main body of the Russians had not arrived, nor 
had the Japanese detached to co-operate with the British and 
Americans. Nevertheless, the general decided to attack at 
once. The 12th Field Battery was brought up on the left, 
and opened fire on the villages near the railway-station. 
Under cover of this the infantry attack developed, the British 
advancing in extended order through the high maize, and 
the Americans on the left of the railway embankment, cov- 
ered by the fire of Rally’s battery. 

While the preparations were being made, General Lini- 
vitch came up and explained to General Gaselee that the 
Russians were advancing on the enemy’s right, along the 
road running parallel with the river. The Japanese detach- 


292 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


ment also came up. The advance now became general, the 
British in the centre, the Americans on the right, and the 
Russians on the left. The British led the direct assault upon 
the enemy’s entrenchments. The 1st Sikhs, who were at 
the head of the line, moved steadily forward in the face of a 
very heavy rifle fire, which was maintained until they ar- 
rived at a short distance from the railway-station. As usual, 
however, the Chinese lost heart when they saw that they were 
about to be charged with the bayonet, and retreated to the 
top of the railway embankment, from which for a short time 
they kept up a fire upon the American regiment next to the 
Sikhs. The front entrenchment was carried just about eleven 
o’clock, and a quarter of an hour later the fire ceased, the 
enemy retiring towards Yangtsun. 

The Russians passed out to the rear of the captured vil- 
lages, seized the railway-station, erected a battery, and bom- 
barded the villages round Yangtsun and the town itself. 
Meanwhile the force on the right were engaged in clearing 
out the villages in that direction, the Bengal Lancers scatter- 
ing the demoralized enemy in every direction. Yangtsun 
was occupied without resistance during the afternoon. The 
losses had been comparatively slight. The British casualties 
were under fifty, of which twenty-four were among the Sikhs. 
The Americans lost seventy-four and the Russians twenty- 
seven, but these proportionately large numbers were ac- 
counted for by the fact that both these detachments advanced 
in somewhat closer order than the British, who, keeping their 
line well extended, suffered comparatively little loss, though 
they were exposed to a heavier fire than the others. The Jap- 
anese had taken no part in the engagement, as they had been 
on the other bank of the river. 

The troops were very much exhausted after their two days’ 
marching and fighting in the great heat, and the next day 


RELIEF IN SIGHT 


293 


they remained at Yangtsun, partly for rest and partly to 
give time to the junks to come up. A council of war was 
held, and it was decided that the road should now be left, 
and that the whole force should proceed on the right 
bank of the river. The Japs were to lead the advance, the 
Russians were to follow, the Americans to come next, and 
the British to bring up the rear. 

During the day Rex went out to look at some of the cap- 
tured villages, but he was so horrified by the number of 
peasants whom he found lying dead that he soon returned 
to Yangtsun. The Russians appeared to have killed every- 
one they met, whether soldiers or quiet peasants. The 
Americans, in the villages they had taken, had acted very 
differently. In these places he found that the peasants had 
not been molested. He had himself been with the detach- 
ment of the Japanese that joined the British, and had there- 
fore been a witness of the fighting. 

“ I cannot say much for your countrymen, Ah Lo,” he said. 
“ If they are not going to fight better than they have done, 
they had much better have cleared off the road altogether 
and left it open for us to go quietly to Pekin.” 

“ Chinaman no good to fight,” Ah Lo said contemptuously. 
“ Fight well enough at distance, but no good when they see 
that Europeans always come on in spite of their firing. Very 
good to kill missionaries, no good to fight soldiers.” 

“ Do you think we shall find the Legations safe, Ah Lo ? ” 

“ I hope so, master ; but if they go on fighting all the time, 
instead of same as when we were there, Chinese must have 
taken nearly all the Legations. I expect all the people are 
crowded up into British Legation; they make great fight 
there.” 

“ That is so. Ah Lo ; the less space they have to defend, the 
stronger they become, but they will have a terrible experi- 


294 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


ence if they are all crowded into the British Legation. The 
place was full enough when we left. Still, I can hardly hope 
that, if the Chinese have gone on attacking all the time, we 
could hold more than our own Legation. The French Lega- 
tion was almost destroyed before we came away, the Russian 
Legation could only be held with difficulty, and more than 
half the Fu had already been captured. I try to think that 
it is all right, but I am horribly anxious. All the time that 
was wasted after we had taken Tientsin I was regretting 
that we had not stopped at Pekin. Our two rifles might not 
have been of much good, but we should certainly have been 
of some use, and above all, I wanted to be there in case the 
Legations were captured. My cousins have their Chinese 
dresses ready, and I cannot help thinking that there must 
have been some points that were not attacked where I could 
have lowered them down from the wall and so escaped into 
the city. Once away from the fighting, we ought to have been 
able to find some place of concealment among so many 
ruined and deserted houses.” 

“ Perhaps they stand out all right,” said Ah Lo. 

“ I hope so, Ah Lo, I hope so with all my heart, but I am 
terribly anxious, and I grudge even this day’s halt, knowing 
that every hour is of importance, and that even while we are 
staying here to-day, the massacre may be going on.” 

Ah Lo had no consolation to offer. He felt that what his 
master said was true, and that at any moment the catastro- 
phe might occur. 

The Japanese started early on the following day. They 
were already in advance, and for this reason they had been 
chosen to lead. A halt was made at Tung- Chow, ten miles 
distant, no resistance having been encountered on the way. 
The Japanese arrived long before the rest of the allies. They 
were very fast marchers, and their transport was light and 


RELIEF IN SIGHT 


295 


handy, and able to keep up with the infantry column. The 
Russians, on the other hand, were very slow marchers. They 
slouched along as if half-asleep, made very frequent halts, 
and their average pace rarely exceeded a mile an hour. 
Consequently the Americans, who followed them, were fre- 
quently blocked. The Russians, too, always stopped at a 
village, thus compelling the Americans to halt on the hot 
and sandy road. This accounted for the great number of 
casualties from sun-stroke among the American troops, for 
the very slow progress made by the Americans and British, 
and for the great amount of marching which they had to do 
during the hottest hours of the day, instead of completing 
their journey before the sun had attained its full strength. 

The J apanese generally completed their marches before the 
sun was high. The Americans seemed to suffer most from 
the sun, but they marched fast in the early morning and 
when the heat of the day was over. The British marching 
was good, and the Indian troops carried themselves well and 
marched in good order even in the hottest part of the day, 
though many fell out. As regards uniforms, the British were 
better off than the others. The Japs wore white, and conse- 
quently they were visible for miles, while the British khaki 
could scarcely be seen at a hundred yards. The Russians 
were also in white, but their uniforms being always ex- 
tremely dirty the disadvantage was not so apparent. The 
Americans, like the British, had khaki, but they seldom wore 
their coats, and their blue shirts rendered them visible for 
considerable distances. 

On the following day a mixed body of Lancers, Cossacks, 
and Japanese cavalry scouted the country ahead and came in 
contact with the enemy half-way to Ho-hsi-Wu, where it was 
expected that the Chinese would make another stand. The 
main body halted and encamped, and the Japs threw out 


296 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


outposts. During the day two squadrons of Bengal Lancers 
came upon a force of four hundred Chinese cavalry, whom 
they charged, killing forty or fifty and capturing their 
standards. 

The British always came in a long time after the rest of 
the force. They followed the winding of the river to protect 
the junks which were carrying up the heavy guns intended 
for the siege of Pekin. It was fortunate that forage was 
plentiful for the cavalry and the animals of the artillery and 
transport. The millet was standing high, and as frequently 
a large extent of this grain had to be cut down to make a 
clearance for a camping-ground, there was abundant fodder 
to supply all the demands. The junks came up very slowly, 
towed by lines of coolies on the bank, and their late arrival 
frequently excited great exasperation among the troops, who 
were dependent upon them for their supplies. 

Ho-hsi-Wu was a small village, near which was situated an 
arsenal stored with an enormous quantity of gunpowder as 
well as a supply of guns of the latest pattern. The Chinese 
had made an attempt to divert the course of the river by 
digging an enormous trench in the direction of some low- 
lying ground. Fortunately they had not had time to com- 
plete the work, for not only would it have still further 
lowered the river, but it would have rendered an attack on 
the village difficult, as the trench was twenty feet deep, and 
from twenty to thirty feet wide. As it was left it was still 
above the level of the water, and could be crossed easily. 
The village was therefore captured after only a slight resist- 
ance. 

The scene on board the long lines of junks was interesting, 
and, to a looker-on, amusing. Two or three times Bex handed 
his horse to Ah Lo and took passage in one of the junks. 
These, of course, were guarded by soldiers of the various 


BELIEF IN SIGHT 


297 


nationalities whose supplies were on board. All did their 
best to urge on their coolies, and as collisions were frequent, 
and boats every now and again ran ashore, the hubbub of 
shouting in five or six languages was appalling. Rudders 
were smashed, bulwarks crashed in, and damage done in 
every way, but the crowd of lubberly craft pushed on in spite 
of the confusion that everywhere reigned. 

The Japanese had unquestionably the best of it. They 
were comfortably settled down with their hospital erected 
before the Russians lumbered up. Everything they did was 
as well arranged as if they had been at home, and Rex could 
not but admit that these little soldiers were far ahead of 
those of any European country in point of organization, 
discipline, and the quickness and cheeriness of their move- 
ments. No looting was allowed among them, and very few 
outrages indeed were committed by them on the unfortunate 
peasantry. In this respect they compared very favourably 
with the troops of all other nationalities, even including our 
own, although General Gaselee set himself strongly against 
such acts, severely punishing such offenders as could be 
brought to justice. 

On the tenth the Japanese again pressed on, their out- 
posts getting to within a mile of the retreating enemy. 
General Eukushima, the moving spirit of the pursuit, was 
asked in the evening if his troops were not very tired. 

“ Yes,” he said grimly, “ and so are the enemy.” 

This was the spirit in which he carried on the movement. 
The enemy were to be kept on the run, no time was to be 
given them to recover their spirits. They were even worse 
off than their pursuing enemy, for they had no commissariat, 
carried no provisions with them, and had to feed upon what 
they could gather at their halting-places, which was seldom 
more than melons and millet from the fields. 


298 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


The Japanese cavalry and infantry halted about three 
miles in advance of the main body. When the rest of the 
infantry came up, they were extended and searched all the 
villages near the line of march. This done, the cavalry again 
went on ahead for some distance, and the process was then 
repeated. 

In this way the army marched down to Matou. It was a 
long march, and the troops all suffered terribly from the heat, 
with the exception of the British, who were wisely kept at 
their last halting-place until late in the afternoon, and came 
on in the cool of the evening. The main body of the force 
bivouacked at Matou, the Japanese camp being three miles 
farther ahead. 

The next morning the Japanese arrived at Chan-Chia- 
Wan. The day was cooler than the preceding one, and some 
rain fell, affording great relief from the heat. The Japanese 
reached the place at eleven o’clock, and sent on a strong 
detachment of cavalry, infantry, and artillery to reconnoitre. 
They discovered the enemy in a position south of Chungtaw. 
At about two o’clock the Japanese brought up some more 
artillery and shelled the place, whereupon the enemy retired 
into Tung- Chow, a large and very wealthy city only thirteen 
miles from Pekin. The next morning the Japanese entered 
Tung-Chow without meeting with any resistance and took 
possession of half of the city. The rest of the allied army 
arrived somewhat later, and at once began to loot their 
portion of the town. 

All the river trade down to Tientsin passes through Tung- 
Chow, which contains even richer pawn-shops than Pekin 
itself. These are very important institutions in China, not 
only because of the richness of the securities on which money 
is advanced, but because they are used as storing-places for 
valuables by the general public, and contain immense quan- 


BELIEF IN SIGHT 


299 


tities of jewellery, costly furs, jade, and works of art of all 
sorts and descriptions. 

The greater part of the lower class of the population had 
remained in the city, and they joined in the general looting, 
which was carried on everywhere whenever they saw a 
chance. Officers in vain tried to keep their men in control 
in the narrow streets, but in the Kussian section the soldiers 
were allowed to do just as they pleased, and they gave them- 
selves entirely to looting, rapine, and crime of every kind. 
The reports of the flying Chinese soldiers had aroused in the 
people an intense fear of the foreign devils, and so when the 
troops arrived at a town or village many of the inhabitants 
made away with themselves to avoid the outrages of a 
licensed soldiery. Women threw themselves out of windows 
or drowned themselves in wells, indeed whole families often 
committed suicide in order to avoid a worse fate. Thus, 
although very many terrible outrages were committed, these 
accounted for but a small proportion of the deaths among 
the Chinese people. 

The British camp was at the edge of the river, and the 
soldiers were not allowed inside the town, and stringent 
orders had been given against looting. Had the other gen- 
erals taken the same view of the matter, the campaign would 
not have been disgraced by the plundering and murder of 
innocent people. The British general was proud of his 
troops, and justly so. 

Eex had secured a room in the quarter held by the Japa- 
nese and enjoyed a good sleep. He was greatly grieved at the 
awful destruction that went on in the town, and he could 
not but wonder at the cowardice of the Chinese in evacuat- 
ing, without striking a blow, a place whose walls were at 
least as strong as those at Tientsin, and leaving its enormous 
wealth to the enemy. He got up early in the morning and 


300 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN - 


rode out. The sun had not yet risen, but the narrow streets 
were filled with the scum of the town, who, invisible the day 
before, had now returned in numbers, bent on looting the 
houses of their more wealthy countrymen who had forsaken 
them. Filthy beggars and coolies staggered along under the 
weight of furs and rolls of silk. The front of nearly every 
house was broken in and its contents turned topsy-turvy. 
The allies had taken the pick of the goods, but vast 
quantities remained for any who chose to carry them 
away. 

The changes of fortune that twenty-four hours had 
wrought were extraordinary. Rich men had become beggars, 
beggars had acquired that which made them wealthy. 

Rex let his horse help himself at the grain shop; the day 
was likely to be a heavy one, and the rations served out were 
but scanty. 

“Now, Ah Lo,” he said, as he joined the Japanese troops, 
who as usual started before daylight, “ this is the last day of 
the march. By to-night our suspense will be over and we 
shall know what has happened.” 

The Japanese had reason to be proud of themselves. Gen- 
eral Yamaguchi, on entering the town, issued a proclamation 
promising protection to non-combatants, and telling the 
people to remain in their houses. It was unfortunate indeed 
that the Japanese had not occupied the whole of the city. 
If they had, the scenes that have disgraced the nations would 
have been avoided. 

The Japanese advanced by an old stone causeway leading 
to the eastern gate of the Tartar City, the Russians by a 
road more to the south, but north of the canal, and leading 
to the northern gate of the Chinese city. South of the canal 
were the Americans, and still farther to the south the British. 
It had been arranged on the previous evening, at the meeting 


RELIEF IN SIGHT 


301 


of the generals, that the column should halt a short distance 
from the city. This arrangement, however, was broken by 
the Russians, who marched close up to the city walls, and, 
meeting with no opposition and thinking that a surprise 
might be effected, advanced up to the gate. Here, however, 
they were met by a heavy rifle fire, which killed and wounded 
many men. They could not well retire, and their message 
begging for reinforcements was the first intimation of what 
had occurred. A subsequent rumour stated that they had 
succeeded in entering the city, and the other generals, an- 
noyed at the trick by which the Russians hoped to have the 
glory of being the first to get into the city, at once marched 
forward with all haste and without consultation. 

The Japs had, as agreed, halted at a village three miles 
from the eastern gate, and in one of the dwellings attached 
to a joss-house, or temple, Rex and a few Japanese took 
shelter. As night came on, a drizzling rain began to fall,. 
At nine o’clock desultory firing was heard to the east, and 
half an hour after, a few shots somewhat nearer came from 
the direction of the eastern gate. Later, the fire increased, 
and the Japs got under arms. As the night was very dark 
it was impossible to tell what was going on, and, mindful 
of the arrangement that had been made, they could not 
attempt to advance. Just before daylight they started again, 
and then Rex learned of the trick the Russians had played, 
and that a messenger had arrived begging Fukushima to send 
reinforcements. The officer who brought the message said 
that if the Japanese joined the Russians the combined force 
could succeed in making an entrance through the wall into 
the city. 

Fukushima replied : “ What about the Americans and the 
British ? ” 

The Russian officer shrugged his shoulders and said : “ Why 


302 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


should we trouble about them when we can do without 
them?” 

Fukushima replied angrily that he had undertaken to 
attack at a certain time, and that he should stick to his under- 
taking. 

“ This is a pretty bad beginning to the day’s work,” Kex 
said to the Japanese officer who was marching alongside. 

“ I wish we had come without the Russians at all,” the 
officer replied ; “ they have brought disgrace upon us all by 
their infamous doings. They have worked on their own 
account since they started. They are surly brutes, and I 
would infinitely rather fight against them, as I have no doubt 
we shall have to do some day, than against these poor 
beggars of Chinese. It is perfectly scandalous that, after 
making an agreement only last night that we were to hold a 
council this morning and arrange for an attack in unison, 
they should sneak forward and try to get all the glory them- 
selves.” 


CHAPTER XVI 


THE CAPTURE OF PEKIN 

rTHE day was just breaking as the Japanese moved forward. 

Rex rode with their advance guard, which was moving 
along on the road with flanking parties in the woods close by. 
Suddenly there was a sound of rifle shots in the woods, and 
bullets whizzed through the air overhead. The column at 
once broke up, and, taking shelter among the bushes, began 
to advance in the direction of the firing, which became 
heavier every moment. It was a complete surprise, for no 
idea had been entertained that the Chinese would advance 
beyond the protection of their walls. 

The main body behind had halted. Some wounded men 
were carried out of the woods, but they could give no par- 
ticulars as to the force that had attacked them. Presently a 
mounted Russian officer dashed out from the wood and rode 
up to the head-quarter staff, where he shouted to Fukushima 
that the Russians and Japs were firing upon each other. 

Orders were at once given to cease firing, and investiga- 
tions showed that the affair had been caused by a few 
Chinese lurking in the wood, who had fired upon the Japs. 
The Russians, whose movements were unknown to the Japs, 
were advancing on the other side of the wood, and the Japa- 
nese bullets flying over their heads led them to believe that 
they were attacked by the Chinese, and so the two allied 
forces skirmished briskly with each other until the mistake 


304 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


was discovered. Unfortunately several men were wounded on 
both sides, and two Russians killed. 

As soon as the matter was cleared up the Japanese resumed 
their forward march, and in a short time, on rounding the 
base of a small eminence, they saw the great wall of Pekin 
and the massive gate-house. 

For a quarter of a mile outside the town extended a laby- 
rinth of narrow streets. The road ran straight through 
these to the first gate leading through the great tower. To 
reach this the wide moat, crossed by a great stone bridge, 
had to be traversed. The gate itself could not be seen, as 
the road made a sharp angle at the tower, and therefore 
guns could not be brought to play upon it until they were 
close up. Beyond this gate was a large yard, and from this 
opened the inner gate of the wall itself. 

Not a soul was to be seen in the streets, and the Japanese 
moved forward with a general feeling of expectation and 
wonderment. Why did not the Chinese open fire? They 
were within short range, and yet there was no sign whatever 
of the foe. 

They began to think that, as at Tung-Chow, the entry was 
not going to be opposed, when suddenly, as they rounded the 
bend, a tremendous fire broke out from the walls and a 
storm of bullets smote the column. Pending orders, there 
was nothing for it but to rush for shelter, and the dispersal 
of the solid battalions resembled that of a crowd when a 
thunder-shower breaks suddenly overhead. For a time 
nothing could be done. Crowded in the little houses, the 
troops waited for the engineers, who were to blow up the gate, 
to complete their work. 

Rex, by stooping low, made his way forward until he 
reached a point where he could watch what was going on in 
front. Here he could see the little Japanese soldiers cheering 


THE CAPTURE OF PEKIN 


305 


as they advanced, running forward towards the gate under a 
tremendous fire of musketry. Of the first detachment more 
than half fell before they had gone many yards, but others 
pushed on until almost the last man had fallen. Attempt 
after attempt was made, the brave fellows going forward as 
cheerfully to almost certain death as if to a fete. It soon 
became evident, however, that success could not be attained 
even at the greatest sacrifice of life, and twenty minutes 
after its commencement the attack was given up. 

Nothing could now be done until night fell and afforded 
a screen for the forlorn hope to get up to the gate. The 
Japanese artillery were brought up and placed on some ele- 
vated ground beyond the suburb outside the wall, and opened 
fire on the gate and its surroundings. Meanwhile the troops 
were withdrawn from the houses near the walls, and, scatter- 
ing among those at a safer distance from it, lay down and 
waited for further orders. 

Rex went out with Fukushima to the hill op which the 
Japanese guns were preparing to open fire. There were no 
fewer than sixty-four of them, for the most part quite small, 
and these were soon all at work pounding the great tower 
and the wall. It was not long, however, before it became 
evident that the massively-built structure was not to be 
seriously injured by such puny missiles, and while the larger 
guns were still kept at work the smaller ones were turned 
upon the city wall. As a result the enemy’s musketry fire 
diminished, and soon only an occasional shot rang out from 
the wall. The Chinese fired a few shells in reply, but 
strangely enough they did but little in that way, although 
the outlying suburb might very speedily have been set on fire 
and the Japs driven out from their shelter. 

The Japanese fire continued for six hours, but even at the 
end of that time the gate-tower, although its face was closely 


306 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


pock-marked by the balls, had not been seriously damaged. 
The day passed slowly, and it was a relief indeed when, as 
darkness came on, the men again moved up into the houses 
on the main road and in the lanes branching from it. 
After all were ready they were still kept waiting, but at last 
two loud explosions were heard. The engineers had done 
their work, and in a few seconds the Japanese were swarming 
out of the houses and going forward at the double, keeping 
time as they went to the cheerful cry of “ One, two ; one, 
two,” with which they always advanced. But the Chinese 
were not taken unprepared. A storm of fire broke out from 
the great tower and the battlements on the walls, as heavy 
as that which they had encountered in the morning. But 
happily it was to a certain extent a random one, for although 
the moon had just risen, its light was not sufficiently strong 
to enable the defenders of the walls to make out the advanc- 
ing enemy with any accuracy. Nevertheless, the middle of 
the road was so swept with fire that the Japs, as they ad- 
vanced, had to take what shelter they could in the houses on 
either side. As they got to the last broad open space they 
halted at the corner and then went forward in batches, cheer- 
ing and singing. Many fell, but many also reached the gate, 
and once under the wall they were in shelter from the fire. 
The leading parties, dashing through the gate which had 
been blown down, speedily drove back those of the defenders 
gathered there. The gate-house was soon captured, and the 
troops, as they entered, were marched up to the top of the 
wall, and, following this to the right and left, drove the 
Chinese before them, the latter, however, offering an obsti- 
nate resistance at each \ bastion. 

From the walls the city appeared a mass of ruins. The 
continuous fire of the Japanese guns had created immense 
destruction; large spaces had been swept by shot and shell. 


'HE CAPTURE OF PEKIN 


307 


At some points a heavy fire was opened from the ruins upon 
the white-clad column, which showed up very clear in the 
moonlight on the top of the wall; but this form of opposition 
presently ceased. Great fires could be seen burning in the 
direction of the Legations, and the column pressed on, 
anxious to be among the first to arrive there. Just at mid- 
night, however, they came upon a Russian picket on the wall, 
and to their disappointment learned that the Legations had 
been relieved in the afternoon. They pressed on, however, 
and at two o’clock entered the Legations. 

The general and his staff stopped at the J apanese Legation, 
but Rex and Ah Lo pushed on over barricades and ruins to 
that of the British. Here they found almost every square 
foot of ground occupied, but they made their way among the 
sleepers until they reached the hospital. Here alone there 
were signs of life; lights shone in the windows. Rex, know- 
ing the way well, moved quietly into the kitchen. Fires were 
still burning, and kettles and pots were boiling. On the floor, 
with her head resting on a chair, Mabel was sitting fast 
asleep. Feeling sure that Jenny was assisting in the wards, 
he remained quiet for a minute or two until the head nurse 
entered with a can for water. 

“ Ah, Mr. Bateman ! ” she exclaimed as she saw him, “ I 
am indeed glad to see you. Your cousins have been very 
anxious about you. We have nearly finished in the hospital 
now, and shall get an hour or two’s sleep, I hope. I will 
send your cousin out to you at once.” 

“No, thank you!” said Rex; “now that I know they are 
both well I am quite content to wait till morning, but I 
should be obliged if you would let Jenny know that I have 
been here.” 

“ I shall be very glad to do so.” 

“We have been practically two nights without sleep,” said 


308 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN - 


Rex, “ and now I know that the girls are well, I feel that I 
have only to find room enough to lie down somewhere, and 
I shall be off to sleep almost before my head touches the 
ground.” 

“ I cannot ask you to stop here, Mr. Bateman, for our regu- 
lations are very strict.” 

“ Thank you ! I was not thinking of that, and indeed I 
should much prefer the open air.” 

He joined Ah Lo again, and, lying down on the ground 
close to the entrance of the hospital, he fell asleep almost 
immediately. 

Although the Japanese had done by far the heaviest fight- 
ing and suffered the greatest loss, the other allies had in some 
cases had serious fighting. The Russian attack, although 
it had been made in defiance of the agreement entered into, 
that no advance whatever should be made against the city 
until all the allies had arrived at the positions assigned to 
them, was a gallant affair, and to a certain extent an acci- 
dent. Their reconnoitring party, consisting of four hundred 
infantry and three guns, had pushed forward, meeting with 
no signs of the enemy until, to their surprise, they found 
themselves close up to the outer walls, at the angle where the 
walls of the Chinese and Tartar cities join. It was pitch 
dark when they arrived, and with a sudden rush they dis- 
posed of the Chinese guard on duty on the bridge imme- 
diately outside the Tung Pien gate, and then blew a hole in 
the gate itself with their guns. They then ‘mounted on the 
Tartar Wall. 

IJp to this time the opposition they had encountered had 
been very slight, which may be accounted for by the fact 
that the Chinese were so briskly engaged at the time in 
an attack upon the Legations that the proceedings of the 
Russians had really been unnoticed. About this time, 


THE CAPTUKE OF PEKIN 


309 


however, the moon rose, bringing into relief the Russians 
moving on the wall. Immediately a desperate fire was opened 
upon them. Nearly all the horses with the guns were at once 
killed, and the infantry, taking their places, dragged the guns 
back to shelter, near the point where they had entered the 
city. Urgent demands for reinforcements were then sent to 
the main body of the Russian force. The refusal of the 
J apanese to take part in the affair, on the ground that it was 
the result of a breach of the arrangement arrived at by the 
allied commanders, paralyzed the action of the Russian gen- 
eral, and it was not until ten o’clock on the following morn- 
ing that reinforcements arrived. 

In the meantime the detachment had been exposed to a 
continuous and heavy fire, and had been obliged to sally out 
to defeat a force which advanced with the intention of taking 
them in rear. The attack, although made contrary to the 
agreement, was of great advantage to the Legations, for a 
furious onslaught had been made upon them with the evi- 
dent intention of destroying them before the allies attacked 
the city, and therefore releasing the whole of the Chinese 
force for the purposes of defence. As soon, however, as the 
Chinese learned that the Russians had entered the gate, a 
considerable portion of the force round the Legation was 
withdrawn to oppose their advance, and from that moment 
the fury of the assault abated considerably. 

The British had met with but slight resistance. Their 
main body had left Tung-Chow at two o’clock on the morning 
of the fourteenth. When within a mile of the southeast 
gate, they bombarded a village and drove the enemy holding 
it into the town, and then advancing they entered the 
Chinese city, and pushed on until they reached the Chien 
gate of the Tartar Wall. Here they were welcomed by 
the allied troops holding the wall near the gate. 


310 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


They could not, however, let them in, and for a short time 
the British force were exposed to a galling fire from the 
Chinese city and from other parts of the wall. The British, 
however, knew of the water gate which opens into the canal, 
running up between the Russian and British Legations and 
the Fu, having received news that it was likely to be un- 
guarded, by a messenger sent out by Sir Claude Macdonald. 
General Gaselee, therefore, taking with him the 7th Rajputs 
and a party of the 1st Sikhs, made a dash for this gate, and 
got through without much trouble. 

The Chinese, never dreaming that an attack would be made 
on that side of the city, had not placed a strong force there, 
and as soon as General Gaselee had entered by the water gate, 
a party of Americans and Russians was able without much 
difficulty to seize the Chien Men, and so admit the main 
body of the British force, who were waiting there to enter. 

The loss sustained altogether by the allies was small in 
comparison with what might have been anticipated in cap- 
turing a town very strongly fortified and defended by a 
garrison of courageous men. The Japanese lost about two 
hundred killed and wounded, the Russians a hundred and 
twenty-eight killed and wounded, the Americans, who with 
the French entered the city immediately after the Russians, 
twenty-four killed and wounded, while the British had but 
half a dozen casualties. 

Rex slept soundly for three hours, and was then aroused 
by the din going on around him. When he started up he 
found that, in addition to the crowd who had occupied the 
place during the siege, numbers of soldiers — Sikhs, Rajputs, 
and Welsh Fusiliers, Royal Marine Infantry, and sailors, 
were moving about. Scattered among them were a few men 
of other nationalities who had missed their columns during 
the night and had straggled in. Officers and men alike were 


THE CAPTUEE OF PEKIN 


311 


endeavouring, with the scanty amount of water at their 
disposal, to get rid of the dust gathered during the two 
preceding days. All were talking and laughing in the high- 
est glee at the satisfactory conclusion of their work. Most of 
them, like Rex, had slept on the ground, for it was impos- 
sible to find quarters in the already crowded houses. 

Giving himself a shake as a substitute for a wash he went 
across to the hospital. One of the nurses came to the door. 

“You are too early, Mr. Bateman,” she said. “Your 
cousins did not go to bed till half-past two, and we cannot 
think of waking them till eight. Fortunately not many 
wounded were brought in with the troops, and almost all our 
patients have benefited so greatly by the arrival of our 
friends that we are likely to have a quiet day of it. We did 
not tell your eldest cousin last night; we thought it best not 
to do so. They heard, of course, that you did not come in 
with the British, but one of the officers whom we questioned 
about it said that you were with the Japs, and would no 
doubt arrive with them. Your own arrival was the first in- 
timation we had that the Japs had come in, so it was much 
better to let your cousin go quietly to sleep. Had she known 
that you were here she would have been wanting to see you, 
and to hear all about your doings.” 

“ Thank you ! ” said Rex ; “ it was much the best way. I 
should not have thought of coming in last night, but I feared 
that they would be uneasy when they found that I did not 
arrive with the British. Of course on the way up I spoke to 
several of the officers who had been with Seymour’s expedi- 
tion, but the chances are that none of them would come your 
way. Well, I will go to my friends at the college.” 

He was received quite joyously by the young men he 
knew, and as he had only eaten a biscuit on the previous day, 
some cold food was at once placed before him. 


312 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ We have been out of meat for some time, ,, said Sandwich; 
" only about half a dozen mules are left alive, and they are so 
desperately thin that it would be useless to kill them; one 
might as well try to make soup out of a clothes-horse. Here, 
however, is bread and rice and some jam. During the am- 
nesty we managed to buy a good many things, and among 
them six pots of jam. This is the last pot, so you see we are 
treating you royally.” 

“ Rice and jam are not to be despised, only I hope there is 
enough rice. I should be sorry to place any limit to the 
powers of my appetite just at present.” 

a Well, you can eat as much as you like, but eat quickly, 
for we want to know about everything. We have only heard 
that there was very little fighting on the way up, and that 
the Japs did the principal part of it.” 

“ Yes, and I was fortunate enough to see it all, for I came 
up as interpreter to their head-quarter staff. I can tell you 
in very few words about our march up here; the principal 
event was the fighting yesterday. But I must finish eating 
before I begin talking about that.” 

After he had made a good meal Rex gave them a full 
account of the storming of the gate by the Japanese. When 
he finished, Sandwich said: “Now, tell us how it is that 
they have been such a tremendous time in relieving us, and 
also what has happened at Tientsin.” 

“ The first question is easy enough to answer. All the 
generals made up their minds that the Legations had been 
captured and the whole lot of you massacred, and it was not 
until a despatch came down from Conger about ten days 
before we started, that they really woke up in earnest. But 
nothing had worked smoothly since the day when they came 
up to relieve Tientsin. We and the Japs and the Americans 
got on capitally together, but the others were always raising 


THE CAPTURE OF PEKIN 


313 


difficulties, especially the Russians. The general opinion 
among us was that they were playing a double game.” 

“In what way, Bateman?” 

“ Well, that I really cannot tell you. Certainly their 
generals altogether opposed the march up, and it was only 
when Gaselee and Chaffee declared that they would go alone, 
if none of the others would accompany them, that the Rus- 
sians had to give way. It was generally believed that they 
wanted in some way to pose as friends of China, and on the 
strength of that to get concessions and that sort of thing, 
and especially to obtain from China the concession of the 
whole of Manchuria. I have no doubt they will try on that 
game now, when things settle down again, unless the other 
Powers back up China.” 

“ It is a rum state of things altogether,” Sandwich said. 

“ Well, tell us all about Tientsin.” 

“To begin with, then, Tientsin and the settlements have to 
a large extent ceased to exist.” 

“What? Was the fighting so severe as that? We have 
heard nothing whatever about it.” 

“ Yes, it was very severe. As far as actual fighting went, 
you were not in it here at all. For eight or nine days we 
were bombarded by any number of guns. The French settle- 
ment, which was nearest to the enemy, may be said to have 
been completely destroyed, the cathedral and mission-houses 
burned, and the rest of the houses practically knocked to 
pieces. Our quarters were pounded pretty heavily, but not 
to the same extent. We were exposed to a continuous fire 
from the ruins of the Chinese college on the other side of 
the river, and from all the houses that remaiqed on that side. 
Of course we had barricades erected at the ends of all the 
streets, but nevertheless it was not altogether pleasant to 
walk about in the showers of bullets and shot and shell which 


314 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


came practically from all directions. The hottest fighting 
was at the railway-station, where it went on night and day. 

“ Well, when large reinforcements came up, we took the 
offensive. The Russians and French did not do much, but 
the Japs, the Americans, and our fellows had some very hard 
work. At the end of the first day things looked pretty bad. 
We were established in the suburb outside the town, but 
farther than that we could not get, and indeed there was some 
question whether we should not fall back after dark. This, 
however, was negatived, but that it should have been even 
proposed showed that we were really in a tight place. For- 
tunately, during the night the same question was discussed 
by the Chinese, and they concluded that as it was evident that 
we did not intend to go they had better do so, and the 
greater portion of them accordingly marched away. In the 
morning we carried the gate between us, the Japs doing most 
of the fighting, and as soon as we were in, the Chinese bolted 
like sheep. 

“We found that our artillery fire had been most destruc- 
tive in the town, and that a large portion of the place was in 
ruins. This, however, was principally the work of the 
Chinese themselves, who, during the first stage of the affair, 
acted like madmen. No one knows how many of the people 
suspected of being friendly to us were massacred ; some put it 
at tens of thousands. At any rate, it was a great many thou- 
sands, and the river was literally full of corpses. Besides 
killing these people they sacked and set fire to their houses, 
and this way an enormous amount of damage was done. 

“ The allies, it must be confessed, did a lot of looting. The 
Japs, all agreed, behaved best; we and the Americans very 
fairly; but the Russians, who had done practically nothing 
towards the taking of the town, acted in a most brutal way. 
Moreover, they actually wanted one of their number ap- 


THE CAPTURE OE PEKHST 


315 


pointed governor. Fortunately, the other Powers would not 
agree to this, and in the end a commission of three — a Rus- 
sian, a Jap, and an Englishman — were appointed to manage 
things. A lot of the Chinese were enlisted as policemen, and 
in a day or two the place, which was littered with dead, was 
got into some sort of order. If this had not been done, there 
certainly would have been a pestilence.” 

“ But what about Seymour’s force ? ” 

“ They had to fight their way back, and were getting into 
great straits for provisions, when, luckily enough, by a sudden 
attack, they captured the arsenal of Hsi-Ku, five miles north 
of the native town. Here they found a tremendous quantity 
of weapons and stores, and a big supply of rice, and although 
the Chinese tried to recapture the place, they were able to 
hold it without much difficulty until, when the reinforce- 
mento came up from the sea, a strong body went out and re- 
lieved them. They could hardly have fought their way down 
without aid, for they had some hundreds of wounded, and a 
large number of the fighting-men would have been required 
to carry them.” 

“ And how about the capture of the Taku Forts ? ” 

“ Well, I will tell you all about that later. Of course, I 
did not see that ; we were cut off from the sea for some days.” 
“ And what were you doing all that time ? ” 

“ I joined the volunteers — every able-bodied man did so — 
and helped in beating off several attacks on the barrier. I 
also had a part in some of the fighting at the railway-station, 
which was about the hottest thing in the whole affair ; indeed, 
we were only saved by the fortunate arrival of a party of 
Sikhs who came out to take the place of the garrison, and 
even with their aid it was a close thing, for the Boxers fought 
with the greatest pluck, and even crossed bayonets with us. 
“ But there, I have given you now a rough account of it 


316 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


all; details will follow later. Here is your breakfast coming 
in. I want to take a turn round and see bow matters stood up 
to the time when we arrived, and after that I am going to see 
my cousins. I was going to say I suppose you will be all otf 
duty now, but I hear that the firing has broken out again. 
That shows that although we have got in, the Chinese have 
not got out, and may give us more trouble before we have 
done with them. By the way, what has become of the 
Empress ? ” 

“ She bolted three days ago when she heard, I fancy, that 
you had taken Tung- Chow. I don’t know whether it would 
be wise to send a force in pursuit of her, considering that the 
town is still full of Chinese troops and that there is so much 
to be done here. Besides, though she has a tremendous train 
of baggage with her, it would take some days’ march for 
infantry to catch her, and it would be a risky thing for our 
small force of cavalry to go alone, as of course she has taken 
a considerable body of troops with her.” 

“Yes, I don’t think they will pursue her,” Rex said. 
“ There must be someone for us to treat with, and if we were 
to take her prisoner it is pretty certain that, directly we had 
gone, she would repudiate any treaty she might make, on the 
ground that it was obtained from her by force. The Chinese 
never hold to treaties, and this would afford them so excellent 
an excuse for breaking one that the agreement would hardly 
be worth the paper it was written on.” 

“ Well, I shall come back about ten o’clock, and then, before 
I give you any details of what I have seen, I shall expect 
you to give me a full account of all that has taken place here 
since I went away.” 

Rex now went to the hospital again. A nurse went to 
inform the girls of his arrival, and almost immediately they 
came flying out. 


THE CAPTURE OF PEKIN 


317 


We are glad to see you again, Rex,” Jenny said; “we 
have been in dreadful anxiety about you. When you went 
away we had no idea that it would be so dreadfully long 
before you came back.” 

“ I did not think it would be myself,” he said, “ but it has 
certainly not been my fault that I did not get back sooner. I 
can assure you that I have been quite as anxious about you as 
you can have been about me.” 

“We were so dreadfully disappointed yesterday when the 
troops came in, to find that you were not with them. We 
asked a good many officers, but only one knew anything about 
you, and he said that you were with the Japanese.” 

“ Yes, that was so. It would have been very difficult for 
me to get leave to come with my own people, but the Japanese 
were glad of an extra interpreter. Now, how have you been 
all the time ? ” 

“We have been very well on the whole. Of course we are 
both thinner, for recently rations have had to be reduced very 
much ; we have had no meat for the past fortnight, and not a 
great deal of anything else. At the same time we have been 
kept very busy, for the number of wounded has been large; 
but we were very glad to be fully employed, for it was much 
better to be working here than to have nothing to do but 
make bags to hold earth and sand.” 

“ I can quite understand that. The students were telling 
me that it was terribly tedious when they had nothing to do. 
Certainly they were called out to aid the guard at the barriers, 
when these were heavily attacked, but often two or three 
days passed without their being summoned.” 

“ And how are Uncle and Aunt, Rex ? ” asked J enny. 

“ They are both well. They have been besieged just as you 
were here, and there was very hard fighting. The settle- 
ment indeed was very much knocked about, but fortunately. 


318 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN" 


in spite of the severe shelling, hardly any lives were 
lost. 

“We can come out with you now for an hour,” said Jenny, 
“ and then you can tell us all about it, and what prevented 
the army from coming up to help us.” 

The girls put on their hats and the three sallied forth. As 
they walked about, Rex gave them a graphic account of the 
fighting at Tientsin. 

“ And has Ah Lo come up with you, Rex ? ” 

“ Certainly he has. I should as soon have thought of com- 
ing without a hat as without him. He is a splendid fellow, 
and I have got so accustomed to his company that I really 
don’t know what I should do without him.” 

“ It is time for us to go back,” Jenny said at last. “We 
shall be off duty this afternoon at three, and to-morrow or 
next day we shall leave the hospital, for most of the wounded 
are convalescent, and unless there is tough fighting the hos- 
pital will empty fast, especially now that we can get fresh 
fruit and meat and other things for the patients.” 

Rex returned to the room occupied by the students, and 
there he found Sandwich waiting for him. 

“I am feeling like a fish out of water, Bateman,” his 
friend said. “ After being in readiness for the past two 
months to snatch up our rifles at any moment and run out 
to repel an attack, it seems strange indeed that we can 
ramble about without any fixed duty, and that our military 
work is over. How, then, I will give you an account of 
what has happened here since you left. I have kept a 
journal ever since the siege began, so that I can tell you how 
everything was done in its right order. 

“ Nothing came of the letters sent in by Prince Ching. 
It was soon evident that the war party were supreme again, 
and the fighting went on as usual. One prisoner, who was taken 


THE CAPTURE OF PEKIN 


319 


the day after you left, said that the Empress had issued an 
edict explaining that the firing of large guns was a dangerous 
practice and liable to do much mischief, and she therefore 
ordered the troops to confine themselves to the use of rifles 
only. There can be no doubt that this curious edict was 
issued, and it was supposed to have been the result of repre- 
sentations by the inhabitants of the damage inflicted by their 
gun fire. No doubt this was very extensive, for their fire was 
always high and every shot that flew over the Legations must 
have fallen in the city and inflicted damage there. At any 
rate there was much less firing afterwards, and although the 
shells did not inflict any very great damage here, it was a 
relief to be free of them. The gun, however, that was being- 
worked against the defenders of the Fu, distant only about 
fifty yards, continued to do great damage, and one night the 
attack of the Chinese was so fierce that the Italian guard 
posted between the British and Japanese retired, and had the 
Chinese taken advantage of the movement both the Japs and 
ourselves would have been cut off and the Fu altogether 
lost. 

“ Next day the attack was renewed with great vigour, both 
on the defenders of the Fu and on the French Legation. At 
the latter place two explosions took place, the enemy having 
driven mines under it. The French were forced to retire from 
the main building, but held entrenchments that they had 
prepared behind it. At the same time the Chinese made a 
desperate attempt to force their way into the German Lega- 
tion. They did actually break into the club and set it on fire, 
but were driven back at the point of the bayonet. The fire, 
however, spread, and there was great danger that the defence 
would be forced. The alarm-bell was rung here, the gates 
were shut, and everyone stood at his post. The attack was 
maintained with fury till eight in the evening, then it gradu- 


320 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


ally ceased, and when the enemy retired they left the French 
and Germans still holding the remains of their Legations. 
All night the French Legation continued to burn, and the 
coolies in the Fu worked unceasingly to extinguish the 
flames. 

“ The next day letters were received from Ching urging 
that the Europeans should all leave the Legations and go to 
the yamen. The proposition was so absurd that a refusal, of 
course in polite terms, was sent, as even had the Europeans 
been inclined to trust themselves to the mercy of the Chinese, 
they would have been obliged to abandon the native Chris- 
tians under their protection. 

“ On the sixteenth another communication arrived from 
Ching. The night passed quietly. In the morning two 
Chinese presented themselves at the German Legation. Both 
said they had come to enquire what we meant to do, and to 
ask if the Foreign Chinese Secretary would go out to discuss 
matters with the generals. They explained that orders had 
come to cease firing on the Legations, and the bugler said 
that General Nieh had been defeated between Taku and 
Tientsin and had committed suicide. 

“ An answer was sent that we did not propose to fire without 
cause, but that we could not allow the Chinese to continue to 
build barricades, as they had been doing ever since the first 
message from Prince Ching reached us. While these letters 
were being exchanged, Chinese soldiers kept coming up to 
the barricade unarmed and professing friendship. A French 
volunteer was foolish enough to get over a barricade and go 
out. He had better luck than he deserved, for he was taken 
to Jung Lu’s head-quarters, where he was well treated. He 
was closely questioned as to the state of things in the Lega- 
tion, and said, in reply, that we were having a first-rate time, 
enjoying ourselves greatly, and wanted nothing but fresh 


THE CAPTURE OF PEKIN 


321 


fruit. The Chinese thereupon gave him some melons and 
peaches and sent him back. 

“Now I think I must stop for ten minutes and wet my 
whistle. I have not had as much experience as you in relat- 
ing adventures, and I find this continuous talking somewhat 
trying.^ 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE STORY OF THE SIEGE 

A ETER a short rest Sandwich continued his story. 

“ All day the Chinese kept coming up to our barricade. 
Many of them got upon the roofs of the houses near and 
called out to us professing friendship, and we were obliged 
to put. up sign-boards, warning them in Chinese against ap- 
proaching too near to our outposts. Evidently the soldiers 
themselves believed that there was an end to fighting, for 
some of them actually sold their rifles and ammunition to the 
Japanese at fifteen dollars apiece. Letters again passed be- 
tween us and the Chinese. Mr. Conger was allowed to send 
out a message in cypher. He said that we had been besieged 
over a month, and that, unless strong measures were taken 
at once, we were all in danger of being massacred.” 

“ Well, that message really did get through,” Rex said. 
“ It was the first positive information that was received in 
Tientsin that the Legations still held out. So convinced 
were the military authorities that the Legations had fallen 
that there was no talk of sending a relief party, and it was 
proposed to wait till an army forty thousand or fifty thousand 
strong was collected. However, the receipt of Conger’s mes- 
sage made a great stir, and, as I told you, Gaselee and 
Chaffee said that the English and Americans would go on 
whether the others did or not, with the result that things were 
really pushed on in earnest from that moment.” 

“ The generals had no idea of the stuff we were made of,” 


THE STORY OF THE SIEGE 


323 


said Sandwich. “ However, to continue my story. The 
Chinese now requested that the foreign troops should stop 
hostilities and abandon the Tartar Wall. To this Sir Claude 
Macdonald replied by a recital of the events of the past 
month, and said that he could not retire from the wall, as 
the Chinese had repeatedly used it as a vantage-ground from 
which to attack us. He repeated his assurance that the 
Chinese would not be fired upon unless they first attacked us, 
and he added a request that vendors of fruit and ice should 
be granted leave to sell their wares to us. 

“ We had all still very great doubts as to whether this state 
of things would continue, and the next morning there was a 
general expectation that fighting would again begin. The 
Chinese soldiers, however, fearlessly approached our barri- 
cades, showing an absolute confidence that we should observe 
the truce. One of their wounded soldiers actually came in 
and had his wound dressed by the foreign doctor.” 

“ During the day a secretary arrived from the yamen to in- 
terview the Ministers. He was received outside the gate. He 
said that the government wished to protect foreigners, and 
that the German Minister’s body had been recovered from 
the hands of those people who had murdered him and en- 
closed in a valuable coffin. 

“ On that day a Chinaman who had been sent into the 
city returned with the news that General Nieh was dead, 
and that on July 14th the foreign troops took the native 
city at Tientsin. This news was duly posted. Ho doubt was 
felt that the armistice was the result of the capture of Tien- 
tsin. That completely explained matters. It had evidently 
been regarded as certain that the Chinese troops at Tientsin 
would be able to hold that city against all attacks, and pre- 
vent any foreign troops from moving up towards Pekin. It 
must have been a frightful blow to them to learn that a 


324 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


place which they considered impregnable had been captured 
after but one day’s fighting. It must have been an awful 
facer for Prince Tung and the war party, and Ching and the 
moderates had evidently again come to the front. 

“ The armistice continued. A few Chinese came in every 
day with eggs to sell, which they generally brought hidden 
in their clothes, declaring that some people had been beheaded 
for dealing with us. As, however, they continued to come, 
this was considered only as a device for raising the price. 
The eggs were a great boon to the besieged, for many of the 
children suffered greatly from want of proper nourishment. 
Twice the yamen sent in a present of fruit and vegetables. 
These were an immense treat, and were divided with scru- 
pulous fairness. Each time two melons fell to our share, and 
were eaten with solemn and almost religious state. It was 
something like what I have heard takes place when a party 
of connoisseurs assemble to discuss two or three bottles of 
Imperial Tokay of a famous year. 

“But while this curious interlude lasted occasional shots 
were fired at us, and several men were wounded. The 
Chinese, moreover, though apparently so friendly, continued 
to strengthen and enlarge their barricades, and it was unsafe 
to move across open spaces in the defended quarter. 

“Now that our anxiety on our own account had lessened, 
we had time to think of the defenders of the French cathedral. 
It was evident that the armistice that we were enjoying was 
not shared by them, for from time to time we could hear out- 
bursts of distant firing. The French Minister had endeav- 
oured in vain to communicate with his countrymen, and 
beyond the fact that they still held out we knew nothing. 
Meanwhile letters were constantly received from the yamen, 
all urging us to leave the city and to retire to Tientsin, or 
at least to give up the Christian refugees. To these requests 


THE STORY OF THE SIEGE 


325 


answers were returned in language of the greatest moderation, 
explaining the difficulties of the course, pointing out that the 
attacks on the French cathedral continued, and that shots 
were frequently fired on the Legation; never positively re- 
fusing to do as the Chinese wished, but always making ex- 
cuses for not doing so. This method was in so far success- 
ful that the negotiations were kept up until the allied army 
were within a day’s march of the city. 

“ On J uly 27 the yamen tried to induce the Ministers to send 
all the Chinese converts out of the Legations. Pekin, they 
said, was perfectly peaceful, and as so large a number of con- 
verts crowded into so small a space in the hot weather must 
be causing us considerable inconvenience, they advised that 
they should now return to their homes in peace and resume 
their usual occupations. As the coolies, however, had ren- 
dered invaluable service during the siege, exposing themselves 
frequently to danger and labouring with unwavering zeal 
until evidently exhausted, it was, of course, out of the ques- 
tion that they could be abandoned, and the chief replied 
that as shots were still fired into the Legations, and the 
North Cathedral was still being attacked, he could not under- 
stand the assertions of the yamen that it would be safe for 
the Christians to leave the Legations, and asked for further 
information. 

“ The time passed very slowly with us. Colonel Shiba had 
bribed one of the Imperial guards and he supplied us daily 
with news, which afterwards turned out to be a pack of lies. 
On July 26th he reported that the allied troops had reached 
Yang-Tsun on the eighteenth, and that on the twenty-fourth 
they had fought a battle ten miles south of Tsai-Tsun in 
which the Boxers were defeated. On the twenty-fifth the 
force was at Ho-Hsi-Wu and had fought a battle lasting five 
hours, the Chinese losing in killed and wounded twelve 


326 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


hundred men. Reports on the twenty-seventh confirmed 
that news and said that there was a panic at Tung-Chow. 
All this of course caused a lot of excitement, but on the 
twenty-eighth a rumour spread through the Legations that 
a messenger had arrived with a letter from the British 
Consul at Tientsin. Of course everyone went to the Bell 
Tower to hear the contents of this letter. It said that 
twenty-four thousand troops had landed and that there were 
nineteen thousand at Tientsin, that the Boxer power had 
exploded there and that there were plenty of troops on the 
way if we could keep ourselves in food. You never saw 
such a mad crowd as were assembled on that tower. Here 
were we expecting to be relieved in two or three days, and 
now no one could say when the relief would arrive. The 
abuse poured on the British consul was absolutely unbounded. 
We afterwards learned that we had reasons to be grateful 
rather than the reverse. Had he told us the truth, that the 
officers at Tientsin were at that moment actually discussing 
whether it was possible to make any advance until the rainy 
season was over, had he sent this news, there is no saying 
what would have happened. The disappointment would have 
been so great that we should probably have attempted some 
desperate action, with the result that all the Europeans 
would have been massacred and also the Christian Chinese, 
to whom the handful of fighting-men available would have 
been absolutely unable to afford protection. Fortunately, 
however, we did not know this, and spent our indignation 
upon the unfortunate consul, who, I hope, is none the worse 
for the objurgations heaped upon his head. 

“ But though the disappointment was great, the news woke 
us up, and an order was at once issued for every household to 
send in a list of all the stores in its possession, of tea, sugar, 
white rice, and other luxuries. Up to that time, as you 


THE STORY OF THE SIEGE 


327 


know, only rice, flour, and meat had been supplied from the 
general store, every household having used what it had col- 
lected at the beginning of the siege. 

“ On the same day the Chinese government issued an edict 
condemning two of the progressive members of the yamen to 
death. There was some fighting also, the Chinese persisting 
in erecting barricades across the north bridge, which enabled 
them to enfilade the canal. We did not succeed in prevent- 
ing them from doing this. All sorts of rumours came in, but 
what they all meant no one could tell; some of the reports 
were of the wildest nature. The only certain news we got 
was that portions of the regular army had left, to aid in re- 
pulsing the relief column. Another effort was made by the 
Chinese to get Sir Robert Hart to telegraph to reassure the 
Foreign Minister as to the situation in Pekin. This he re- 
fused to do, as such reassuring news might induce them to 
pause before sending out a relief force. On the 1st of 
August Colonel Shiba received a letter from Tientsin which 
changed the whole aspect of affairs. It was dated Tientsin, 
and said that the advance of the troops was delayed by diffi- 
culties of transport, but that the start would be made in two 
or three days. 

“ During all this time we had not been idle. We had 
strengthened the wall round the Legation and had dug a 
deep trench inside the west wall, to cut any mines that the 
Chinese might attempt to drive from that quarter. We 
omitted one spot, however — the kitchen of the students’ mess 
— and it was precisely at this spot that the Chinese afterwards 
drove a mine. One of the customs staff declared that he 
heard men digging in that quarter, but no one believed him, 
Another defensive measure was the occupying and barri- 
cading of the ruins of the houses on the Legation side of the 
market. A mail came in with several letters on the 2nd 


328 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


of August. The reports were contradictory, but it really 
seemed that the column was at last starting. The supplies 
had been all stopped now and we were beginning to feel 
famine, especially the Christian Chinese, who were fed on a 
mixture of a little grain, chopped straw, and other fodder. It 
was a very bad time. Except the building of the new de- 
fences there was nothing to be done. A good deal of sharp- 
shooting was kept up, but the want of work made the delay 
hard to bear. The nurses were now suffering from sickness 
brought on from overwork. 

“ At five o’clock on August 10th a messenger arrived bear- 
ing letters from General Gaselee to Sir Claude and from 
General Fukushima for Colonel Shiba. Both letters were 
very brief. They were dated August 8. ‘ A strong force of 
allies is advancing/ one said, ‘ twice defeated enemy. Keep 
up your spirits.’ The other confirmed this news, and men- 
tioned the thirteenth or fourteenth as the probable date of 
their arrival at Pekin. 

“ You may imagine the enthusiasm that this news excited. 
It was the first intimation we had received that the column 
had left Tientsin. The attacks now became much more vigor- 
ous, and on the eleventh the attack on the French and Ger- 
man Legations was more severe than anything we had ex- 
perienced. The attack on the Mongol Market was. also very 
warm. And all the time this was going on, the Chinese gov- 
ernment were writing letters complaining of the attacks made 
upon them by the defenders. Towards evening the firing 
became even more furious; there was a general call to arms, 
and every man turned out. The fusillade died away a little 
at midnight. At half -past two the boom of heavy guns and 
the rattle of musketry were heard, and every man and woman 
in the Legation got up to hear the welcome sound which told 
that the relief force had arrived outside the city.” 


THE STORY OF THE SIEGE 


329 


“ The enemy then made a last desperate attack. Everyone 
rushed to his post again, but although the firing was tremen- 
dous and we could hear the Chinese officers shouting to their 
men to charge, nothing came of it, and towards morning the 
fire died away to the usual desultory sniping. Everyone re- 
mained in a state of expectancy until, as you know, at two 
o’clock the troops made their entry. There, I think, Bateman, 
I have given you a very full account, and shall expect as de- 
tailed a one from you.” 

“You certainly deserve it,” Rex said with a laugh, and 
he then told in full detail the story of his entry into Tien- 
tsin, the situation there, the account he had received of the 
taking of the Taku Forts, the defence of the city, the capture 
of Tientsin, and the march of the relief column. “ There,” 
he said when he concluded, “ I think we have both a pretty 
good idea of what has taken place since we last met. Now 
I must go out and see for myself the points where the fighting 
has been fiercest.” Wandering about, Rex learned more of the 
fighting of the past two days. The fire kept up was some- 
thing tremendous, but the Chinese troops could not be per- 
suaded to leave their shelters. Their officers in vain shouted : 
“We are many, they are a mere handful ; come on ! ” But the 
soldiers shouted back in return: “No good.” Every word 
could be plainly heard, for the barricades held by the Customs 
volunteers in the Mongol Market were only ten or fifteen 
yards from the Chinese. In the Fu the same thing was going 
on. Positions held by the Italians and Japs were each of 
them only twenty yards, and the extreme outpost held by 
Customs volunteers was but ten yards, from the Chinese 
barricades. 

In the Fu they had hit on a happy expedient. They got a 
huge supply of empty petroleum-tins, and when the Chinese 
attack was at its hottest, they set the Christian Chinese to 


330 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIH 


hammer on them with sticks. The din was something tre- 
mendous, and the Italians added to it with wild shouts. 
Astounded at this terrible uproar, and ignorant of what new 
weapon of destruction was being brought against them, the 
Chinese fire dropped at once, and did not reopen for some 
time. 

In the Mongol Market five Customs volunteers stood behind 
their loopholes, close up to the Chinese position, and as they 
watched the Chinese officers trying in vain to urge their men 
forward, they chaffed them with invitations to come in and 
see the place, and then, when they did not come, advised them 
to go home and nurse the babies. Nevertheless, fighting with 
the enemy both in the Fu and in the Mongol Market was a 
matter of grim earnest. If the barricades there had been 
carried, those positions must also have been abandoned, and 
all communication between the British and Russian Lega- 
tions would have been cut off. 

The morning after the troops entered, two mines heavily 
charged were fired. If the troops had been one day later, 
there is no saying what the consequences might have been. 
All with whom Rex had chatted were of opinion that the 
Chinese were deterred from attacking, not by our rifle fire, 
but by a superstitious fear that we were keeping some secret 
means of destruction in reserve. Whether it was that we 
had mined the ground everywhere, and would blow them all 
into the air as soon as they crossed our barricades, or whether 
they feared some unknown, but even more terrible form of 
death, could not be said, but the men who were ready to 
endure the deadly fire of our rifles could not be got to make 
a rush against a position where only some fifteen or twenty 
men faced them. The Chinese kept up their straggling fire 
all day, and among others one English lady was hit in the 
arm, this being the first time that a woman had been struck 


THE STORY OF THE SIEGE 


331 


since the siege began. Hex learned that out of a total 
strength of nineteen officers and three hundred and eighty- 
eight men, including volunteers, thirteen officers were killed 
and wounded, and sixty-seven men killed and a hundred and 
sixty-seven wounded. Fighting still went on, but great 
surprise was expressed that the French did not make any 
attempt to go to the relief of their countrymen in the North 
Cathedral. 

In the evening, Kex went into the Fu, where the Japanese 
were for the most part quartered, and enquired of General 
Fukushima if there was anything that he could do. 

“ No, I do not think there is anything at present. When 
we once get out into the city I shall be very glad of your 
services again. You can, if you like, go with a force I am 
sending out in the morning to relieve the French mission- 
aries. We know they must be in extreme danger, and it 
would be a scandal if we allowed them to be massacred after 
we have entered the city.” 

Accordingly the next morning Kex started with the Jap- 
anese. They made a long detour and approached the cathe- 
dral from the other side. They attacked and drove off the 
Chinese on that side and really raised the siege, but at the 
same time they heard heavy firing on the other side, and 
found that the French and Russians had arrived there. Fu- 
kushima therefore halted his men, being willing to give the 
French the opportunity of being the first to relieve their 
countrymen. 

The garrison had had indeed a terrible time, and in spite of 
the entry of the allied force, the attack had been maintained 
up to the very moment of their relief. The Japanese had 
met with resistance on coming through the gate that sepa- 
rated the cathedral quarter from the palace of the Empress. 
Here they came upon a number of Boxers, who were so occu- 


332 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


pied by their attack upon the cathedral that they had scarcely 
noticed the arrival of the relieving force. Taken by surprise, 
a good many of them were hemmed in, and a machine-gun 
was trained upon them with terrible effect. Fighting was 
kept up through the various streets, and continued until they 
reached the cathedral. The garrison at first refused to admit 
this unknown band of swarthy warriors, and some explana- 
tions had to be exchanged before they could be brought to 
understand that they had been relieved. 

The Catholics would never have remained in possession of 
the cathedral had not the Chinese municipal officers assured 
them that they would be altogether undisturbed. When the 
Boxers first appeared near the cathedral, the governor as- 
serted that he had special orders to protect the cathedral. 
The regular troops there consisted only of thirty French and 
twelve Italian marines, who at the last moment, when the 
danger of the situation could no longer be winked at, had 
been spared from the slender garrison of the Legations to aid 
in the defence. This was the force that was called upon to 
defend the circuit of the walls of the great French establish- 
ment, whose circumference amounted to nearly a mile. 
Within this circle there were no fewer than three thousand 
five hundred people, the larger portion of whom consisted of 
children from the orphanages. The adults were formed by 
the fathers into a body, and armed with spears made by 
fastening knives to the ends of long poles. The eight 
muskets, which were all the firearms they had, were dis- 
tributed among the different sections. 

The Chinese authorities threw off the mask on the 10th of 
June, and on that day the Chinese regulars and Boxers sur- 
rounded the place, cut the telegraph wires, and completely 
isolated it. 

At the head of the defence was Mgr. Favier, the heroic 


THE STORY OF THE SIEGE 


333 


bishop, who by his courage, self-devotion, and zeal, kept up 
the spirits of the defenders through the darkest days of the 
siege. He was the soul of the resistance. Under him were 
six priests, who organized the work of defence and set a 
noble example to the others. The converts were set to work 
with pick and spade to assist in the defence, and the whole 
defensible area was quickly surrounded with trenches and 
barricades. Ammunition was unfortunately very short, but 
the priests set some of the converts to manufacture powder 
and bullets. The shot was not difficult to make, as lead and 
pewter could be obtained from the roofs and vessels, but both 
sulphur and charcoal were very scarce. After many failures, 
however, some thousands of rounds were manufactured. 
These would have been of no use for distant fighting, but 
they were sufficient for what at times was almost hand-to- 
hand work. 

The Boxers burnt all the houses in the neighbourhood, 
threw inflammable pots into the convent and upon the roof 
of the cathedral, and maintained a continuous fire of mus- 
ketry and artillery. Fortunately the fire was principally 
directed against the cathedral, and though that building was 
sorely battered, but little harm was done to the defenders. 

Continual messages were shouted to the converts calling 
upon them to come out. One note, which was thrown into 
the trenches on an arrow, ran as follows: “You Christians 
shut up in the Peitang, reduced to die in misery, eating the 
leaves of trees, why do you so obstinately resist? We have 
cannon and mines, and can blow you all up in no time. You 
are deceived by the devils of Europe. Return to the ancient 
religion of the Fu, hand over Mgr. Favier and the rest, and 
your lives shall be saved and we will supply you with food. 
If you do not do this, your women and children will be cut 
to pieces.” 


334 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


But although these attempts continued throughout the 
siege not one of the converts evinced the slightest desire to 
give in. The worst form of attack was that of mining. The 
enemy successfully exploded one huge mine, blowing up 
several buildings, and killing no fewer than eighty children 
and injuring a still greater number. Four tons of gunpowder 
were said to have been used, and the result was a huge round 
hole like the crater of a small volcano, measuring in 
diameter, from bank to bank, fully ninety feet. Even this 
did not shake the courage of the defenders, but it warned 
them of what they had to expect, and all available hands 
were at once set to work digging very deep trenches to prevent 
the Chinese from mining under the buildings. In spite, of 
these efforts, however, four mines were exploded inside the 
compound, but another, which would have been almost as 
formidable as the first, was prevented from doing the dam- 
age that it would otherwise have done by one of the 
other trenches, though over seventy people were injured by 
the explosion. 

Several other mines besides those exploded were met by 
countermines driven by the besieged. One mine, however, 
had escaped observation. This was driven under the founda- 
tions of the cathedral, and had the relief been delayed but a 
day or two longer it would have been fired and would prob- 
ably have caused the death of a vast number of people, for 
the building was throughout the siege used as a hospital. 

Towards the end of the siege the garrison was greatly 
annoyed by rockets. These were fired by an ingenious gun, 
and directed by the Chinese themselves. They rendered any 
passage across the enclosure dangerous, and set fire to many 
buildings. Once a brilliant sortie was organized and carried 
out by the handful of marines and a number of spear-armed 
converts. They succeeded in capturing a field-piece and 


THE STORY OF THE SIEGE 


335 


some ammunition, the latter being invaluable during the 
siege. 

But the greatest enemy with whom the garrison had to 
contend was hunger. Gradually the ration of rice served out 
to the converts was reduced, and at the end, although but two 
ounces of rice was all that could be allowed to the Chinese 
converts, even this would have failed in the course of another 
two or three days. This miserable ration was eked out in 
every way. Every green thing, every blade of grass, was 
pulled up, cooked, and eaten. The last few starving animals, 
before they were killed, had stripped the bark off the trees 
as high as they could reach. 

The little party of marines had lost heavily. The captain 
had been killed early in the siege. The lieutenant fell on 
the 30th of July. He was but twenty- three, but his cheer- 
fulness and devotion had done much to maintain the spirits 
of the besieged. He had worked night and day, and his death 
caused the deepest regret among the garrison. Eleven of 
the soldiers were also killed and most of the others were 
wounded. 

Mgr. Favier wrote: “We wept but once during the siege, 
and it was on this day. So terrible was the pinch of hunger 
that half-wild dogs which fell upon the dead Boxers lying 
round the entrenchments were killed and eaten.” The suffer- 
ing was so great that one has to go back to the siege of 
Leyden for a parallel. The defenders, when relief arrived, 
were almost skeletons, living spectres scarce able to drag 
themselves along, and their rescuers, on viewing the shat- 
tered defences, the numerous pits made by the exploded 
mines, and the worn and pallid forms of the defenders, were 
astonished that they had been able to hold out so long 
against a horde of well-armed and determined assailants. 
Gallant as was the defence of the Legations, there could 


336 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


be no doubt whatever that it was as nothing compared with 
that of the cathedral. 

As things began to settle down a little the pressure in the 
Legations was relaxed, the Chinese converts in the Fu and in 
the British Legation moved out and established themselves 
in the deserted houses near. Supplies began to come in, 
especially to the British Legation, where the natives quickly 
learned that they would be fairly treated. The Japanese 
were also well supplied, but no native would enter the Rus- 
sian quarter. The attempts of Russia to pose now as the 
friend of China were wholly fruitless. Putting aside the 
atrocities the Russians had committed there, the natives had 
become well aware of the horrible massacres they had per- 
petrated in Manchuria, and their occupation of that province 
had excited so deep a feeling of animosity that even had 
their behaviour been good at Pekin they would still have 
been regarded with the greatest mistrust. 


CHAPTER XVIII 


CONCLUSION 

THGHTING went on for some days, but at last all opposi- 
tion ceased, and the Chinese soldiers either left the city 
altogether or, changing their clothes, appeared as peaceable 
citizens. Rex went round the town and was horrified at the 
destruction that everywhere met his eye. The portion of the 
town held by the Russians was infinitely the worst: there 
the looting had been universal, and the atrocities committed 
upon the unfortunate inhabitants beyond description. In 
that part of the city Rex scarcely saw a native in the streets. 
In the German quarter things were little better, and in the 
French quite as bad. In those portions of the city occupied 
by the British and the Americans many natives were moving 
about, and in many of the streets fruit and other things were 
exposed for sale on stalls. In the Japanese quarter all was 
order and regularity. Looting had been prohibited from the 
first, and stringent orders given for the good treatment of the 
inhabitants. This had such a good effect that shops were 
already opening, and stalls lined the streets, and indeed the 
greater portion of the inhabitants from the other quarters 
had migrated to this part, where alone they found they would 
be safe from pillage and outrage. It was a humiliating sight 
for an Englishman that these swarthy little soldiers, whom 
the Europeans regarded almost as barbarians, should be so 
infinitely in advance of the Western troops in discipline, 
order, and good conduct. 


337 


338 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


The Americans, on the day following the relief of the 
Legations, fought their way to the entrance of the Forbidden 
City; but there they halted, as an agreement had been made 
that none should enter the Palace grounds until a formal 
entrance was made by the whole force. The jealousies and 
bickerings of the various generals had broken out afresh now 
that their purpose was achieved. The Russians, who had 
from the first signalized themselves by their brutal treatment 
of the natives, were now posing as their friends, and were 
already advocating a retirement. The French, owing per- 
haps to their supposed alliance with the Russians (though 
from the beginning they had been conspicuous for doing 
nothing), followed their lead in this as in all things. The 
Italians were inclined in the same direction; but the Japa- 
nese, British, and Americans were wholly against any move- 
ment of retirement until terms had been definitely settled. 

After a fortnight’s consideration they decided to march 
through the Imperial Palace, and on the twenty-sixth the 
troops paraded, the arrangement being that ten per cent of 
each nationality should take part in the demonstration. They 
drew up outside the inner gateway. The Russians took up 
their position in the centre, close to the great stone bridge, 
the Japanese a little to the left, the British were to the right 
of the Russians, and the remainder behind them. They had 
but one band, a Russian one, but there were also some pipers 
belonging to one of the Indian Regiments. In all there were 
eight hundred Russians, eight hundred Japanese, four hun- 
dred British, four hundred Americans, two hundred French, 
two hundred Germans, and one hundred Italians and Aus- 
trians. Soon after eight o’clock a salute of twenty-one guns 
was fired by one of our field-artillery batteries, and then, led 
by the Russians, the force marched through the central arch- 
way of the Tien-An-Men. 


CONCLUSION 


339 


The Imperial Hall of Audience, or, as it was called, the 
Hall of Great Harmony, was a magnificent building. It was 
here that the Emperor sat enthroned, receiving the homage 
of his court, on any great occasion, notably New Year’s Day, 
his own birthday, and various other times prescribed by the 
rigid ceremony of the court. Here he conferred literary de- 
grees and distributed robes of honour and promotions in 
rank. The hall was over two hundred feet long, one hundred 
feet wide, and the same height. It stood on a noble terrace of 
white stone, twenty feet above the level of the courtyard, and 
was reached by five flights of steps. These were flanked, 
and the terrace surrounded, by white marble balustrades, 
both steps and balustrades being excellently carved. A num- 
ber of huge bronze urns of very handsome design, and two 
great bronze tortoises, added to the brilliancy of the approach. 

Externally the hall was in fair repair, but the ornamenta- 
tion under the eaves was dirty, and the pillars outside and 
the woodwork round the walls were sadly needing paint, so 
that in spite of the fine approach the general aspect was that 
of shabbiness. Why this should be so under the rule of an 
all-powerful Empress, with the whole resources of the Em- 
pire at her command, was quite unaccountable. One would 
have expected that everything within the walls of the palace, 
which is the centre of the Empire, would have been kept in 
the most perfect order. The same want of repair was evident 
in the Hall of Central Harmony, the Hall of Precious Har- 
mony, and the various pavilions in the courtyards through 
which the troops marched. In fact the aspect of all the 
rooms, halls, and pavilions was disappointing in the extreme. 
The waiting-rooms were gloomy, and everything was cov- 
ered with dust. Grass grew thickly in the courtyard, and 
indeed the whole place had an aspect of neglect and priva- 
tion. In the Imperial apartment there were superb vases 


340 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


and ornaments of all kinds, all bearing the same marks of 
neglect. The general feeling among the troops was one of 
disappointment. After a stay of an hour or two the troops 
marched out again. Some small articles were carried off, 
but there was nothing like general looting, and the mandarine 
who had remained behind in charge had no reason to com- 
plain of the conduct of the troops. 

Rex accompanied the Japanese in their march, as being 
officially in their service, and, like all those who had formed 
the procession, was greatly disappointed. 

“It is really a rotten old place,” he said to the girls on 
his turn. “ It looks as if it hadn’t been inhabited for a hun- 
dred years. It is grimy, dusty, and dark. No doubt there 
were all sorts of good things in the way of vases, but even 
these were so dirty and dull that no one would think of look- 
ing at them if they were not in the palace. Certainly I did 
not see anything that I should have cared to carry off if I 
had been permitted to do so, except upon the supposition that, 
as they were in the palace they must be valuable. I have seen 
much better things in the loot taken in the city.” 

“ Well, I am glad to hear you say so, Rex,” Jenny said, 
“for it does seem rather hard that the women who have 
taken part in the siege should not have been allowed to go 
to look at all the wonders.” 

“ Well, you have lost nothing, I can assure you,” said Rex. 
“ Some of those things I bought are certainly better worth 
looking at than anything in the palace, at least till it has 
been cleaned up a bit.” 

Pekin having been conquered, and the proof of conquest 
having been given to the Chinese by the march through the 
temple, the general topic of conversation was what was next 
to be done. The Empress was, it was known, making her 
way to Shansi, some hundreds of miles away, and all agreed 


CONCLUSION 


341 


that it would be impossible to pursue her there, for even if 
the journey could be accomplished she would simply make 
another move, and so evade capture. It was considered 
probable that she would make an offer to treat, but no doubt 
a considerable time, weeks perhaps, or even months, would 
pass before she could bring herself to do so. It was consid- 
ered certain that sooner or later she must take such a step, 
for, credulous as the Chinese are, it would be impossible 
to get them to believe that she was staying at Shansi from 
choice, and that Pekin was occupied by the allies by her 
gracious permission. The question was, what would be the 
end? As a matter of course a huge sum would have to be 
paid for the expenses of the war. On this point opinion was 
unanimous. The question on which there were strong differ- 
ences of opinion was, what else would happen? Would each 
of the Powers demand a slice of Chinese territory, and under- 
take the civilization of the huge Empire? One objection 
to this was that it would sooner or later lead to a general 
outbreak of hostilities between the Powers. It was probable 
that the mere work of fixing the respective frontiers would 
bring matters to a crisis at once. Russia would assuredly 
demand a far greater share than the others, and, on condition 
that France would back her, would see that that country 
also benefited very largely. Austria and Italy would cer- 
tainly be unable to manage a concession of any size, and, 
moreover, they had so little interest in the East that they 
would probably put in no claims. Germany, with her 
sudden greed for colonizing, would certainly expect a large 
slice. On the other hand, Japan, Great Britain, and Amer- 
ica might be expected to oppose any steps in this direction. 
None of them had any wish to acquire territory. As traders 
they desired that all doors should be kept open, and that trade 
should be free to all. Their interest, therefore, was that 


342 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


China should remain intact, and should be allowed to ad- 
vance gradually in the path of reform. 

The war with Japan had already given a vast impulse to 
her life in many respects. Short as the intervening time had 
been, she had accumulated great stores of modern weapons, 
and had made considerable progress in the work of turning 
peasantry into soldiers. It was probable that a second 
disastrous defeat would show her still more vividly the 
necessity for adopting European methods. It would assur- 
edly strengthen enormously the hands of the progressive 
party. Prince Ching and others of the same views would 
gain power and influence, and obstinate and imperious as 
the Empress might be, the fact that she had been driven a 
fugitive from her capital, as the result of following the 
advice of the war party, could not but impress her strongly. 
Although all allowed that it would be some time before 
China recovered from the shock, most of those in the British 
Legation at any rate, were of opinion that it would finally 
be of immense benefit to her. 

The arguments were sometimes quite heated, until some 
calm listener suggested that months might elapse before any 
preliminaries of peace were agreed upon, and it was scarcely 
worth while to get excited over a future which really no one 
at present could in the slightest degree foretell. 

Before starting, Rex had been furnished by his father with 
a considerable amount of money. 

“ There is sure to be a great deal of looting,” Mr. Bate- 
man said, “ and, as is always the case in such circumstances, 
the soldiers are altogether ignorant of the value of the things 
they have picked up, and will be ready to sell them for a mere 
song. The two things to keep your eyes upon are really fine 
vases, old ones of course, and furs. The Chinese don’t mind 
what they give for good furs, so that their possessions in this 


CONCLUSION 


343 


line are of immense value. There are also silks and things of 
that sort, but they are not so saleable as furs, and I should 
advise you to stick to these and cloisonne vases.” 

All the time he was able to go about the city, Rex had 
carried out his father’s instructions. The Russian soldiers 
had pillaged every shop in their district, and among these, as 
at Tung- Chow, were enormous quantities of valuables of all 
kinds, many of which they had been ready to dispose of for a 
few dollars to the first comer. Rex was therefore able to 
procure a large quantity of valuable furs, fine vases, jade, 
and jewellery. In the British quarter all loot found was 
handed over to the military authorities, who sold it by 
auction every two or three days. Here the more valuable 
goods went for a song; fox-furs worth a couple of hundred 
pounds fetched only seven or eight, and vases were equally 
cheap, as the difficulty of carriage deterred most of the buyers 
from bidding at all. On the other hand, small articles which 
could be taken home as curios, and in memory of the siege, 
were eagerly bought up by soldiers and non-commissioned 
officers at prices far beyond their intrinsic value. The mis- 
sionaries were very active in obtaining loot, — which they also 
sold for the most part by auction, — and justified their action 
by saying that the money would be used in rebuilding their 
ruined chapels and mission-houses. All this and much more 
that took place during the war was in direct defiance of the 
treaty to which China, as well as all the allied powers, was a 
party. This forbade the ill-treatment of private persons, the 
forcible entry into their houses, the taking of their goods; 
but the allies considered that the Chinese, by their massacre 
of thousands of Christians and of numbers of missionaries, 
together with their attack upon the settlements, had so 
broken the treaty as to put themselves quite out of court. 
It must be admitted, however, that the conduct of the troops. 


344 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


especially of the Russians, Germans, and French, cannot but 
have greatly heightened the hatred felt by the Chinese for 
the “ foreign devils.” 

Rex had no difficulty in hiring coolies to bring home his 
purchases, and the girls were astonished at the mass of valu- 
ables he brought to the little room they now occupied. They 
were, of course, ignorant of the real worth of these things, 
but they could not but know that the silk and satin mantles, 
lined with lovely furs, must be of considerable value. “ How- 
ever are you going to get them all down, Rex?” asked 
J enny. 

“ Well, I intend to buy a couple of carts, and of course I 
shall hire coolies to drive them. When we have got all the 
things stowed away in them we will cover them with some 
rough cloth, and then you can sit one in each; that will be 
much more comfortable for you than riding, for, as you have 
told me, you have never been on a horsed back in your lives, 
and besides it would be next to impossible to buy decent 
horses here.” 

“ Yes, it would be a great deal better. When do you think 
we shall be able to leave ? ” 

“ I hear,” he said, “ that the day after to-morrow a convoy 
is going down, and that all women who have not husbands 
here can accompany it. I think, therefore, that we may as 
well go. There is nothing whatever to keep us here, and as 
far as I can see nothing is likely to be done for a long time, 
perhaps months. The Empress is hundreds of miles away, 
and it is certain that it will take a long time indeed before 
the terms of any treaty can be settled. I shall make arrange- 
ments for our joining the convoy. We certainly cannot take 
much time to pack. Ah Lo and I have horses, and I will this 
afternoon try to pick up a couple of carts. There is no buying 
them here, but I will ride out with Ah Lo to some of the 


CONCLUSION 


345 


villages round, where I have no doubt I shall be able to get 
what I want. 

“ There will, of course, be an infantry escort with the 
convoy, and we shall therefore travel at a walking-pace; 
besides, there must be a number of wagons to carry stores 
for consumption on the way. We shall therefore have no 
difficulty in keeping up with the rest.” 

An hour later he rode out with Ah Lo. Both carried their 
rifles slung behind them, and Kex, in addition, took a re- 
volver. It was certain they would not be able to buy carts 
in any of the villages, as these were entirely deserted, except 
by a few old people, within a circuit of some miles round the 
city. They therefore rode a considerable distance into the 
country. As they went along they saw in the distance a 
Russian column, which they had heard was to start an hour 
before they rode out. As it was certain that nothing would 
be found anywhere near that column, they were about to 
turn off and ride in another direction, when they saw four 
Russian soldiers come out of a shed, in which they had 
apparently been hiding, and go into a neighbouring 
village. 

“ Those rascals have evidently hidden,” said Rex ; “ prob- 
ably the column halted here and they slipped into that shed 
intending to do some plundering on their own account and 
to fall in again as the force returns.” 

The village was but two hundred yards from them. Sud- 
denly they heard loud and piercing screams coming from 
that direction. 

“ Come on, Ah Lo, those villains are up to some rascality. 
Some of the villagers have fallen into their hands.” 

Setting their horses to a gallop they dashed into the 
village. The screams were coming from a house of some- 
what superior appearance. Leaping from their horses they 


346 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


ran in and discovered four or five women struggling wildly 
against the Russians. 

“ Leave those women alone, you scoundrels,” Rex shouted. 

With savage oaths the Russians turned round, and, seeing 
that it was but a civilian with a native who accosted them, 
they caught up their muskets. Rex had not time to unsling 
his rifle, but he drew his revolver and, as one of the Russians 
raised his musket to his shoulder, fired. The ball struck the 
man in the forehead and he fell back. One of the others 
fired at once, but as he did not raise his musket to his shoul- 
der his aim was not true, and the shot passed through Rex’s 
coat without touching him. Ah Lo, who had by this time 
unslung his rifle, shot the man dead. The other two, with a 
howl of rage, rushed at them. The Russians always carried 
their bayonets fixed and relied upon them rather than upon 
shooting. Ah Lo had not time to recock his piece, but, using 
his rifle as a club, struck aside the thrust aimed at him. The 
impetus of the charge brought the two men together and, 
simultaneously dropping their guns, they grappled in a fierce 
wrestle. 

Rex had fired again as his opponent rushed at him. It was 
but a snap-shot, but the bullet went through one of the 
Russian’s wrists, and caused his thrust to swerve. The 
bayonet ripped open Rex’s clothes, inflicting a slight wound 
along his chest as it passed. The force of the blow, however, 
threw Rex upon his back. The Russian, standing over him, 
raised his musket to strike, but as he looked down Rex again 
fired. The bullet struck the man between the eyes, and he 
fell a lifeless mass, completely knocking the breath out of 
Rex’s body. It needed all the lad’s strength to roll the body 
off and to gain his feet. The combat between Ah Lo and 
the Russian had just terminated. The latter was a big and 
powerful man, but he was no match for the Chinaman, who, 


CONCLUSION 


347 


having gripped his adversary by the throat, held on until 
he had choked the life out of him. To make sure, however, 
he at once picked up his rifle and put a ball into the man’s 
head. 

“ Perhaps he is dead, master, perhaps not. No good leave 
him to get round again.” 

The women, as soon as the Russians had released them, had 
fled upstairs. Rex called out to them in Chinese to come 
down, but it was not until he had called three or four times 
that one timidly descended. Seeing the four Russians lying 
dead, she fell on her knees and poured out her thanks, and 
the others, perceiving that all was well, at once came down. 

“ Look here,” Rex said, “ I don’t want any thanks. I have 
only done my duty as a man. Now you must at once hide 
these bodies somewhere. There is a ruined house next door, 
we will carry the bodies there at once and topple one of the 
mud walls over them. Then you must come back here and 
clean up the floor, and afterwards take refuge in the place 
where you were hiding when the column came along. It is 
hardly likely that they will miss these fellows, but if they do 
they will be sure to search all the villages they pass through 
on the way back.” 

A quarter of an hour’s work sufficed to obliterate all traces 
of the conflict, and Rex and Ah Lo rode off amid the blessings 
of the women they had rescued. 

“ It is lucky for those poor creatures that we came along, 
Ah Lo. I can’t say I feel the slightest regret at having to 
kill those Russian scoundrels.” 

“ They 'are very bad men, the Russians,” Ah Lo said ; “ they 
rob everyone, do very bad things wherever they go.” 

“ Well, I need not say, Ah Lo, that we must keep this affair 
a strict secret. If it were discovered there would be a fright- 
ful row over it. I think before we go any farther I will 


348 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


dismount. That bayonet has certainly cut a gash across my 
chest. I have been too busy to think about it, but I feel now 
that it is bleeding.” 

The wound, which was in no way serious, was bandaged up 
and they resumed their ride. After going for two or three 
miles farther they came upon a village where some of the 
cultivators still remained, and these were well pleased to sell 
three carts and six mules. The carts were primitive vehicles, 
consisting of a pair of great wooden wheels, a pair of shafts, 
and a long framework. On this was what resembled a great 
box, which could either be used for the conveyance of two 
passengers or filled with goods. In the former case the jolt- 
ing over the rough roads was so unbearable, and indeed 
dangerous, that the sides and roof had to be padded with 
thick mattresses. The framework projected beyond the body 
of the cart, and goods could be lashed there when the box was 
used as a carriage. Rex decided that a mattress should be 
placed here for the girls to sit on, both because it would be 
infinitely more comfortable than being boxed up, and be- 
cause the interiors would be filled with his purchases. 

After some bargaining he succeeded in persuading three of 
the villagers to go with the carts, promising them, in addition 
to their pay, the gift of the conveyances and mules on their 
arrival at Tientsin. 

The girls went into screams of laughter when he arrived, 
late in the afternoon, with these conveyances. The three 
weeks that had elapsed since their relief had done wonders 
for them, and they were now full of fun and life. 

“ You don’t mean to pack us away in those big boxes with- 
out windows or openings of any sort ? ” 

“ I certainly do not,” Rex said, “ I shall put a mattress 
on that projection behind them, and you will ride there quite 
comfortably. To-morrow morning I will buy some thick 


CONCLUSION 


349 


cloth or canvas, and you can sew it together and make a 
little tent. It will only require to be high enough to allow 
you to crawl into it, and wide enough to enable you to ride 
side by side.” 

The next morning Rex's purchases were packed in the 
three carts. This was done with great care, and when it was 
finished they had nothing more *to attend to. They had 
practically no personal baggage, for the girls had only the 
clothes they stood in and a change, most of which they had 
made for themselves on their arrival at Pekin. In the 
interval before starting, therefore, they went round bidding 
good-bye to all the friends they had made during the 
siege. 

“What are you all going to do?” Rex asked his friend 
Sandwich. 

“ I have not the least idea, and I don't suppose anyone 
else has. They can hardly expect us to begin work again 
until everything is settled. In a short time, however, I sup- 
pose we shall get so accustomed to this sort of thing that we 
shall really prefer being at work again to doing nothing. 
Possibly they may move the college down to Tientsin, or 
even to Shanghai, but I should think it would be better to 
keep it here. We may feel pretty certain of one thing, that 
when peace is once established the guard for the Legations 
will be much stronger than before. In that case I don't see 
why the college should not remain here. Of course it will be 
rather hard at first to settle down to grinding away at the 
language after all the excitement of the past three months. 
If, as the result of the negotiations, more ports are thrown 
open, it would be a good thing for us, for of course more 
officials will be required. As one of the seniors, I should be 
pretty sure to get a berth, whereas I might have to wait for 
two or three years in the ordinary course of things.” 


350 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


“ Well, if you do come down to Tientsin for a run, I expect 
that you will find me there, Sandwich, and in that case you 
must make our place your home. Of course I have no idea 
of what my father will do. It is quite on the cards that he 
may decide to go home for a bit. Business will certainly be 
at a stand-still for a long time, and he may take advantage 
of the lull to run home for a year or two. Whether I shall 
stay at Tientsin or not is, of course, equally uncertain. This 
row has so completely turned everything topsy-turvy that I 
have no idea what will come of it.” 

In the evening Bex called upon the Minister to tell him 
that he was going down with the convoy. 

“You are quite right to do so, Mr. Bateman; there is no 
chance of any further fighting here, and you will naturally 
wish to be with your family at Tientsin. If you will sit 
down for a few minutes I will write 'a sort of testimonial 
saying how valuable have been your services here. I don’t 
say that such a testimonial will be of value to you as a mer- 
chant; still, it may be of use, and in any case it will be 
something to be proud of and a record of your doings during 
the troubles.” 

Sir Claude went into an inner room and dictated a letter 
to his secretary. On his return he handed the document to 
Bex, who thanked him very heartily, saying that it was a 
testimonial that he should be proud of to the end of his life. 
At an early hour next morning the convoy of wounded and 
sick, and women and children, left Pekin. The girls were 
seated on a mattress behind the first of the three carts. Bex 
had bought two great umbrellas which shaded them from the 
sun’s rays. They had with them a basket containing fruits, 
meat, and bread. Swinging under the body of the cart was 
a hamper containing charcoal, a tea-pot, plates, cups 
and saucers, and tea, and slung beside it was the little 


CONCLUSION 


351 


tent that the girls made, with the sticks for its sup- 
port. 

To the girls the journey was most enjoyable. There was 
practically no fear of trouble, for after the capture of Pekin 
strong parties had been sent down and had dispersed the 
Boxers along the line of railway. Still, there was the risk 
that they might fall in with isolated bands to add interest 
to the march. At times they got down and walked, joining 
one or other of the friends they had made during the siege. 
Of an evening they made tea and generally had little parties, 
as their friends in turn looked in upon them. Still, they 
were not sorry when, on the fifth day after starting, Tientsin 
came in sight. 

Their arrival excited the liveliest pleasure on the part of 
Mr. and Mrs. Bateman. Their aunt cried a good deal over 
the two girls whom at one time she believed she would never 
see again. 

After the first excitement was over, and while the 
girls were giving their aunt a lively account of their 
adventures, Bex and his father discussed the question of the 
business. 

“ Your mother and I have been talking matters over,” Mr. 
Bateman said. “ It is absolutely certain that many months 
at any rate must pass before there is any revival of trade, 
and we have come to the conclusion that it would be useless 
for us to remain here. I should leave Thompson and the two 
clerks to keep the place open and look after things until your 
uncle and I agree that business can be started again. We 
shall, of course, take the girls with us, and I really don’t see 
that there will be any use in your remaining. You have gone 
through a very exciting time, and a rest will do you good. 
What do you say yourself?” 

“ I am ready to do whatever you think best, Father. I 


352 


WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 


don’t feel any the worse for the three months’ excitement, but 
I think it would certainly be slow here if you were all gone. 
I suppose you will come out again yourself when things begin 
again.” 

“ Certainly I shall, but I don’t think your mother will. 
But, of course, all that we will chat over with your uncle. 
My own idea is that I shall come out with you for a couple 
of years, by which time you ought to know enough of the 
business to take charge of it, especially as Thompson is fairly 
well up in it. But, as I have said, all that is a matter for 
after-consideration. I feel that I have certainly earned a 
rest, having been out here ten years without a break. As for 
you, this will certainly be a dreary place for at least a year, 
for it will be two or three years before it entirely recovers 
from the blow. You will not be without something to do in 
England, because you will go into your uncle’s office and will 
learn a good deal of the details of the business, price of the 
goods, and so on.” 

“Well, in that case, Father, I certainly think I should 
much rather go home with you. If I could be of any use 
here, I would willingly stop, but there can be no return of 
trade until a treaty has been made and the troops have all 
left the country, and that will be at least a year, perhaps a 
good deal more.” 

“ Very well, then, that is settled. Just at present there 
are plenty of steamers going down to Shanghai, and I see 
no reason why we should not be off in a week. For many 
reasons I think the sooner we leave the better. The girls 
have gone through a terrible time for the past three or four 
months, and although they look better than could have been 
expected they must have been terribly shaken. Quiet and a 
long sea voyage will, I hope, set them up again. Shattered 
as the settlement is, goods may still be obtained, and I have 


CONCLUSION 


353 


no doubt that they can get everything requisite for the 
voyage in the course of a week.” 

Accordingly, ten days later, Mr. and Mrs. Bateman, with 
their nieces, Rex, and Ah Lo — who refused positively Mr. 
Bateman’s offer to set him up comfortably in a farm in his 
native village — sailed together for Europe. 


THE END 





A LIST OF BOOKS 

FOR 

YOUNG PEOPLE 

By G. A. HENTY 
WITH THE ALLIES TO PEKIN 

A Tale of the Relief of the Legations. Illustrated by 
Wal Paget. $1.20 net (postage, 16c.). 

In this book the writer re-tells the story of the Siege of 
Pekin in a way that is sure to grip the interest of his young 
readers. The experience of Rex Bateman, the son of an 
English merchant at Tientsin, and of his cousins, two girls 
whom Rex rescues from the Boxers just after the first out- 
break, offer a variety of heroic incident sufficient to fire the 
loyalty of the most indifferent lad. 


THROUGH THREE CAMPAIGNS 

A Story of Chitral, Toial, and Ashanti. Illustrated by 
Wal Paget. $1.20 net (postage, 16c.). 

The exciting story of a boy’s adventures in the British 
Army, first as a private in the native troops in India, later 
as an officer in the Ashanti campaign. Lisle Bullen, left 
an orphan by the loss of his father, who was mortally 
wounded in a minor expedition against one of the hill 
tribes, is to be sent home by the colonel of the regiment on 
the eve of the Chitral campaign. The boy’s patriotism 
compels him, instead, to secretly join the regiment as a 
private. In this capacity he early distinguishes himself for 
conspicuous bravery. His disguise is soon discovered and 
his promotions in the service follow rapidly, each won by 
some heroic act. 

CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 

153-157 Fifth Avenue - « New York 



BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


By C. A. HENTY 


“ Among writers of stories of adventures for boys Mr. Henty stands 
in the very first rank .” — Academy (London). 


THE TREASURE OF THE INCAS 

A Tale of Adventure in Peru. With 8 full-page Illustrations 
by Wal Paget, and Map. $1.20 net. 

Peru and the hidden treasures of her ancient kings offer Mr. Henty a 
most fertile field for a stirring story of adventure in his most engaging 
style. In an effort to win the girl of his heart, the hero penetrates into 
the wilds of the land of the Incas. Boys who have learned to look for 
Mr. Henty’s books will follow his new hero in his adventurous and 
romantic expedition with absorbing interest. It is one of the most cap- 
tivating tales Mr. Henty has yet written. 


WITH KITCHENER IN THE SOUDAN 

A Story of Atbara and Omdurman. With 10 full-page Illus- 
trations. $1.20 net. 

Mr. Henty has never combined history and thrilling adventure more 
skillfully than in this extremely interesting story. It is not in boy nat- 
ure to lay it aside unfinished, once begun ; and finished, the reader finds 
himself in possession, not only of the facts and the true atmosphere of 
Kitchener’s famous Soudan campaign, but of the Gordon tragedy which 
preceded it by so many years and of which it was the outcome. 

WITH THE BRITISH LEGION 

A Story of the Carlist Uprising of 1836. Illustrated. $1.20 
net. 

Arthur Hallet, a young English boy, finds himself in difficulty at 
home, through certain harmless school escapades, and enlists in the 
famous “ British Legion,” which was then embarking for Spain to take 
part in the campaign to repress tho Carlist uprising of 1836. Arthur 
shows his mettle in the first fight, distinguishes himself by daring work 
in carrying an important dispatch to Madrid, makes a dashing and 
thrilling rescue of the sister of his patron, and is rapidly promoted to the 
rank of captain. In following the adventures of the hero the reader ob- 
tains, as is usual with Mr. Henty’s stories, a most accurate and interest- 
ing history of a picturesque campaign, 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


STORIES BY G. A. HENTY 

“ His books have at once the solidity of history and the charm of 
romance . "-Journal of Education. 


TO HERAT AND CABUL 

A Story of the First Afghan War. By G. A. Henty. With 
Illustrations. 12mo, $1.20 net. 

The greatest defeat ever experienced by the British Army was that 
in the Mountain Passes of Afghanistan. Angus Cameron, the hero of 
this book, having been captured by the friendly Afghans, was com- 
pelled to be a witness of the calamity. His whole story is an intensely 
interesting one, from his boyhood in Persia; his employment underthe 
Government at Herat; through the defense of that town against the 
Persians; to Cabul, where he shared in all the events which ended in 
the awful march through the Passes from which but one man escaped. 
Angus is always at the point of danger, and whether in battle or in 
hazardous expeditions shows how much a brave youth, full of 
resources, can do, even with so treacherous a foe. His dangers and 
adventures are thrilling, and his escapes marvellous. 

WITH ROBERTS TO PRETORIA 

A Tale of the South African War. By G. A Henty. With 12 
Illustrations. $1.20 net. 

The Boer War gives Mr. Henty an unexcelled opportunity for a 
thrilling story of present-day interest which the author could not fail to 
take advantage of. Every boy reader will find this account of the ad- 
ventures of the young hero most exciting, and, at the same time a 
wonderfully accurate description of Lord Roberts’s campaign to Preto- 
ria. Boys have found history in the dress Mr. Henty gives it anything 
but dull, and the present book is no exception to the rule. 


AT THE POINT OF THE BAYONET 

A Tale of the Mahratta War. By G. A. Henty. Illustrated. 
12mo, $1.20 net. 

One hundred years ago the rule of the British in India was only partly 
established. The powerful Mahrattas were unsubdued, and with their 
skill in intrigue, and great military power, they were exceedingly dan 
gerous. The story of “At the Point of the Bayonet” begins with 
the attempt to conquer this powerful people. Harry Lindsay, an 
infant when bis father and mother were killed, was saved by his 
Mahratta ayah, who carried him to her own people and brought him 
up as a native. She taught him as be6t she could, and, having told him 
his parentage, 6ent him to Bombav to be educated. At, sixteen he ob- 
tained a commission in the English Army, and his knowledge of the 
Mahratta tongue combined with his ability and bravery enabled him to 
render great service in the Mahratta War, and carried him, through 
many frightful perils by land and sea, to high rank. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“Mr. Henty might with entire propriety be called the boys’ Sir 
Walter Scott .” — Philadelphia Press. 


IN THE IRISH BRIGADE 

A Tale of War in Flanders and Spain. With 12 Illustrations by 
Charles M. Sheldon. 12mo, $1.50. 

Desmond Kennedy is a young Irish lad who left Ireland to join the 
Irish Brigade in the service of Louis XIV. of France. In Paris he in- 
curred the deadly hatred of a powerful courtier from whom he had 
rescued a young girl who had been kidnapped, and his perils are of ab- 
sorbing interest. Captured in an attempted Jacobite invasion of Scot- 
land, he escaped in a most extraordinary manner. As aid-de-camp 
to the Duke of Berwick he experienced thrilling adventures in Flan- 
ders. Transferred to the Army in Spain, he was nearly assassinated, but 
escaped to return, when peace was declared, to his native land, having 
received pardon and having recovered his estates. The story is filled 
with adventure, and the interest never abates. 


OUT WITH GARIBALDI 

A Story of the Liberation of Italy. By G. A. Henty. With 
8 Illustrations by W. Rainey, R.I. 12mo, $1.50. 

Garibaldi himself is the central figure of this brilliant 6tory, and the 
little-known history of the struggle for Italian freedom is told here in 
the most thrilling way. From the time the hero, a young lad, son of 
an English father and an Italian mother, joins Garibaldi’s band of 
1,000 men in the first descent upon Sicily, which was garrisoned by one 
of the large Neapolitan armies, until the end, when all those armies 
are beaten, and the two Sicilys are conquered, we follow with the 
keenest interest the exciting adventures of the lad in scouting, in 
battle, and in freeing those in prison for liberty’s sake. 


WITH BULLER IN NATAL 

Or, A Born Leader. By G. A. Henty. With 10 Illustrations 
by W. Rainey. 12mo, $1.50. 

The breaking out of the Boer War compelled Chris King, the hero 
of the story, to flee with his mother from Johannesburg to the sea 
coast. They were with many other Uitlanders, and all suffered much 
from the Boers. Reaching a place of safety for their families, Chris 
and twenty of his friends formed an independent company of scouts. In 
this service they were with Gen. Yule at Glencoe, then in Ladysmith, 
then with Buffer. In each place they had many thrilling adventures. 
They were in great battles and in lonely fights on the Veldt ; were 
taken prisoners and escaped; and they rendered most valuable service 
to the English forces. The story is a most interesting picture of the 
War in South Africa. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ Surely Mr. Henty should understand boys’ tastes better than any 
man living .” — The Times. 


WON BY THE SWORD 

A Tale of the Thirty Years' War. With 12 Illustrations by 
Charles M. Sheldon, and four Plans. 12mo, $1.50. 

The scene of this story is laid in Prance, during the time of Richelieu, 
of Mazarin and Anne of Austria. The hero. Hector Campbell, is the 
orphaned 6on of a Scotch officer in the French Army. How he at- 
tracted the notice of Marshal Turenne and of the Prince of Conde ; 
how he rose to the rank of Colonel ; how he finally had to leave France, 
pursued by the deadly hatred of the Due de Beaufort — all these and 
much more the story tells with the most absorbing interest. 

A ROVING COMMISSION 

Or, Through the Black Insurrection at Hayti. With 12 Illus- 
trations by William Rainey. 12mo, $1.50. 

This is one of the most brilliant of Mr. Henty’s books. A story of 
the sea, with all its life and action, it is also full of thrilling adven- 
tures on land. So it holds the keenest interest until the end. The 
scene is a new one to Mr. Henty’s readers, being laid at the time of the 
Great Revolt of the Blacks, by which Hayti became independent. 
Toussaint l’Overture appears, and an admirable picture is given of him 
and of his power. 

NO SURRENDER 

The Story of the Revolt in La Vendee. With 8 Illustrations 
by Stanley L. Wood. 12mo, $1.50. 

The revolt of La Vendee against the French Republic at the time of 
the Revolution forms the groundwork of this absorbing story. Leigh 
Stansfield, a young English lad, is drawn into the thickest of the con- 
flict. Forming a company of boys as scouts for the Vend^an Army, 
he greatly aids the peasants. He rescues his sister from the guillotine, 
and finally, after many thrilling experiences, when the cause of La 
Vendee is lost, he escapes to England. 

UNDER WELLINGTON'S COMMAND 

A Tale of the Peninsular War. With 12 Illustrations by Wal 
Paget. 12mo, $1.50. 

The dashing hero of this book, Terence O’Connor, was the hero of 
Mr. Henty’s previous book, “ With Moore at Corunna,” to which this 
is really a sequel. He is still at the head of the “ Minho ” Portuguese 
regiment. Being detached on independent and guerilla duty with his 
regiment, he renders invaluable service in gaining information and in 
harassing the French. His command, being constantly on the edge of 
the army, is engaged in frequent skirmishes and 6ome most important 
battles. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ Mr. Henty is the king of 6tory-tellers for boys .” — Sword and Trowel. 


AT ABOUKIR AND ACRE 

A Story of Napoleon’s Invasion of Egypt. With 8 full-page 
Illustrations by William Rainey, and 3 Plans. 12mo, 
$1.50. 

The hero, having saved the life of the son of an Arab chief, is taken 
into the tribe, has a part in the battle of the Pyramids and the revolt 
at Cairo. He is an eye-witness of the famous naval battle of Aboukir, 
and later is in the hardest of the defense of Acre. 

BOTH SIDES THE BORDER 

A Tale of Hotspur and Glendower. With 12 full-page Illus- 
trations by Ralph Peacock. 12mo, $1.50. 

This is a brilliant story of the stirring times of the beginning of the 
Wars of the Roses, when the Scotch, under Douglas, and the Welsh, 
under Owen Glendower, were attacking the English. The hero of the 
book lived near the Scotch border, and saw many a hard fight there. 
Entering the service of Lord Percy, he was sent to Wales, where he 
was knighted, and where he was captured. Being released, he returned 
home, and shared in the fatal battle of Shrewsbury. 


WITH FREDERICK THE GREAT 

A Tale of the Seven Years’ War. With 12 full-page Illustra- 
tions. 12mo, $1.50. 

The hero of this story while still a youth entered the service of 
Frederick the Great, and by a succession of fortunate circumstances 
and perilous adventures, rose to the rank of colonel. Attached to the 
staff of the king, he rendered distinguished services in many battles, in 
one of which he saved the king’s life. Twice captured and imprisoned, 
he both times escaped from the Austrian fortresses. 


A MARCH ON LONDON 

A Story of Wat Tyler’s Rising. With 8 full-page Illustra- 
tions by W. H. Margetson. 12mo, $1.50. 

The story of Wat Tyler’s Rebellion is but little known, but the hero 
of this story passes through that perilous time and takes part in the 
civil war in Flanders which followed soon after. Although young he 
is thrown into many exciting and dangerous adventures, through which 
he passes with great coolness and much credit. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“No country nor epoch of history is there which Mr. Hentydoes not 
know, and what is really remarkable is that he always writes well and 
interestingly .” — New York Times. 


WITH MOORE AT CORUNNA 

A Story of the Peninsular War. With 12 full-page Illustra- 
tions by Wal Paget. 12mo, $1.50. 

Terence O’Connor is living with his widowed father, Captain O’Con- 
nor of the Mayo Fusiliers, with the regiment at the time when the 
Peninsular war began. Upon the regiment being ordered to Spain, 
Terence gets appointed as aid to one of the generals of a division. By 
his bravery and great usefulness throughout the war, he is rewarded 
by a commission as colonel in the Portuguese army and there rendered 
great service. 

AT AGINCOURT 

A Tale of the White Hoods of Paris. With 12 full-page 
Illustrations by Walter Paget. Crown 8vo, olivine 
edges, $1.50. 

The story begins in a grim feudal castle in Normandie. The times 
were troublous, and soon the king compelled Lady Margaret de Villeroy 
with her children to go to Paris as hostages. Guy Aylmer went with 
her. Paris was turbulent. Soon the guild of the butchers, adopting 
white hoods as their uniform, seized the city, and besieged the house 
where our hero and his charges lived. After desperate fighting, the 
white hoods were beaten and our hero and his charges escaped from 
the city, and from France. 

WITH COCHRANE THE DAUNTLESS 

A Tale of the Exploits of Lord Cochrane in South American 
Waters. With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. H. 
Margetson. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero of this story accompanies Cochrane as midshipman, and 
serves in the war between Chili and Peru. He has many exciting 
adventures in battles by sea and land, is taken prisoner and condemned 
to death by the Inquisition, but escapes by a long and thrilling flight 
across South America and down the Amazon. 

ON THE IRRAWADDY 

A Story of the First Burmese War. With 8 full-page Illus- 
trations by W. H. Overend. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
$1.50. 

The hero, having au uncle, a trader on the Indian and Burmese 
rivers, goes out to join him. Soon after, war is declared by Burmah 
against England and he is drawn into it. He has many experiences 
and narrow escapes in battles and in scouting. With half-a-dozen 
men he rescues his cousin who had been taken prisoner, and in the 
flight they are besieged in an old, ruined temple. 


BOOKS FOR YOURG PEOPLE 


BY G. A. HENTY 

u The brightest of the living writers whose office it is to enchant the 
boys . — Christian Leader. 


A JACOBITE EXILE 

Being the Adventures of a Young Englishman in the Service 
of Charles XII. of Sweden. By G. A. Henty. With 8 
full-page Illustrations by Paul Hardy, and a Map. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Sir Marmaduke Carstairs, a Jacobite, is theyictim of a conspiracy, and 
he is denounced as a plotter against the life of King William. He flies 
to Sweden, accompanied by his son Charlie. This youth joins the 
foreign legion under Charles XII., and takes a distinguished part in 
several famous campaigns against the Russians and Poles. 

CONDEMNED AS A NIHILIST 

A Story of Escape from Siberia. By G. A. Henty. With 8 
full-page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero of this story is an English boy resident in St. Petersburg. 
Through two student friends he becomes innocently involved in 
various political plots, resulting in his seizure by the Russian police 
and his exile to Siberia. He ultimately escapes, and, after many ex- 
citing adventures, he reaches Norway, and thence home, after a 
perilous journey which lasts nearly two years. 

BERIC THE BRITON 

A Story of the Roman Invasion. By G. A. Henty. With 
12 full-page Illustrations by W. Parkinson. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

This story deals with the invasion of Britain by the Roman legionaries. 
Beric, who is a boy-chief of a British tribe, takes a prominent part in 
the insurrection under Boadicea ; and after the defeat of that heroic 
queen (in A. D. 62) he continues the struggle in the fen-country. 
Ultimately Beric is defeated and carried captive to Rome, where he is 
trained in the exercise of arms in a school of gladiators. At length he 
returns to Britain, where he becomes ruler of his own people. 

IN GREEK WATERS 

A Story of the Grecian War of Independence (1821-1827). By 
G. A. Henty. With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. S. 
Stacey, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Deals with the revolt of the Greeks in 1821 against Turkish oppres- 
sion. Mr. Beveridge and his son Horace fit out a privateer, load it 
with military stores, and set sail for Greece. They rescue the Chris- 
tians, relieve the captive Greeks, and fight the Turkish war vessels. 


books for room people 


BY G. A. HENTY 

“ No living writer of books for boys writes to better purpose than 
Mr. G. A. Henty .” — Philadelphia Press . 


THE DASH FOR KHARTOUM 

A Tale of the Nile Expedition. By G. A. Henty. With 10 
full-page Illustrations by John SchGnberg and J. Nash. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

In the record of recent British history there is no more captivating 
page for boys than the story of the Nile campaign, and the attempt to 
rescue General Gordon. For, in the difficulties which the expedition 
encountered, in the perils which it overpassed, and in its final tragic 
disappointments, are found all the excitements of romance, as well as 
the fascination which belongs to real events. 


REDSKIN AND COW-BOY 

A Tale of the Western Plains. By G. A. Henty. With 12 
full-page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

The central interest of this story is found in the many adventures of 
an English lad, who seeks employment as a cow-boy on a cattle ranch. 
His experiences during a “ round-up ” present in picturesque form the 
toilsome, exciting, adventurous life of a cow-boy ; while the perils of a 
frontier settlement are vividly set forth in an Indian raid. 


HELD FAST FOR ENGLAND 

A Tale of the Siege of Gibraltar. By G. A. Henty. With 
8 full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

This story deals with one of the most memorable sieges in history — 
the siege of Gibraltar in 1779-83 by the united forces of France and 
Spain. With land forces, fleets, and floating batteries, the combined 
resources of two great nations, this grim fortress was vainly besieged 
and bombarded. The hero of the tale, an English lad resident in 
Gibraltar, takes a brave and worthy part in the long defence, and it is 
through his varied experiences that we learn with what bravery, re- 
source, and tenacity the Rock was held for England. 


Note.— F or a list of Henty Books at popular prices, see the 
following page. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


By G. A. HENTY 

The following copyrighted Henty Books are 
also issued in a cheap edition 


IN FREEDOM’S CAUSE 

WITH LEE IN 

THROUGH RUSSIAN 

SNOWS 

VIRGINIA 

A KNIGHT OF THE 

WHITE CROSS 

WITH WOLFE IN 

CANADA 

THE TIGER OF 

MYSORE 

THE LION OF ST. MARK 

IN THE REIGN OF 

IN THE HEART OF 

THE ROCKIES 

TERROR 

NO SURRENDER 

WHEN LONDON 

BURNED 

UNDER WELLING- 

WULF THE SAXON 

TON’S COMMAND 

WITH FREDERICK 

ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S 
EVE 

THE GREAT 

AT ABOUKIR AND 

THROUGH THE SIKH 
WAR 

. ACRE 

A JACOBITE EXILE 

BOTH SIDES THE 

BORDER 

CONDEMNED AS A 

NIHILIST 

A MARCH ON LONDON 

BERIC THE BRITON 

WITH MOORE AT 

IN GREEK WATERS 

CORUNNA 

AT AGINCOURT 

THE DASH FOR 

KHARTOUM 

COCHRANE THE 

DAUNTLESS 

REDSKIN AND COW- 
BOY 

ON THE IRRAWADDY 

HELD FAST FOR 

ENGLAND 


TWO BOOKS FOR BOYS 

By 

CAPTAIN BRERETON 

Captain Brereton’s stories for boys rank, in 
England, with Mr. Henty’s. The two books 
here announced are the first to be published in 
this country, and it is hoped they will be received, 
by the young people on this side the sea, with 
equal favor. Captain Brereton, like Mr. Henty, 
builds up stirring tales of adventure against a 
background of fact, and he is equally skillful in 
the construction of his exciting plots and the 
reconstruction of a true historical atmosphere. 
His books deserve here the great popularity 
they enjoy in England. 


IN THE GRIP OF THE MULLAH 

By CAPTAIN F. S. BRERETON 

Illustrated. $1.20 net (postage, 16c.). 

FOES OF THE RED COCKADE 

By CAPTAIN F. S. BRERETON 


Illustrated. $ 1.20 net (postage, 16c.). 


BOYS OF THE SERVICE SERIES 

By CYRUS TOWNSEND BRADY 


IN THE WAR WITH MEXICO 

A Midshipman’s Adventures on Ship and Shore. By 
Cyrus Townsend Brady. Illustrated by W. T. 
Aylward. $1.20 net (postage, 14c.). 

This stirring story of war and adventure, the second to 
appear in the BOYS OF THE SERVICE SERIES, has 
a vivid historical setting of uncommon interest. The 
amusing and exciting experiences of Midshipman Ned 
Denton, son of Ned Denton of the Wasp’s Nest, and his 
two sailor comrades, ashore as well as afloat, afford, also, 
a striking panorama of our war with Mexico ; and it is a 
question whether his experiences aboard the U. S. S. 
Somers, with the story of the mutiny and the account of 
her wreck, or his march with Scott upon the City of 
Mexico, are the more absorbing. The reader meets, in 
the beginnings of their careers, Grant, Lee, McClellan, 
Beauregard, Kearney, and other famous generals of a later 
period, and Mr. Brady pictures them graphically and truly. 
It is a book deeply to interest any boy, not only in the 
story but in the period and the history. 


IN THE WASP’S NEST 

By Cyrus Townsend Brady. Illustrated by Rufus F. 

Jogbaum. $1.20 net (postage, 14c.). 

“When Cyrus Townsend Brady sets out to tell a story 
of adventure and fighting at sea it can be depended on as 
a breezy narrative that will stir the pulses of the reader 
who enjoys that kind of tale. If addressed particularly to 
boys, there is a feast in prospect to all boys of healthy 
natures. ‘ In the Wasp’s Nest ’ is a rattling good story of 
.this kind .” — Cleveland Plain Dealer. 

This is a story of the War of 1812 in which the young 
hero serves successively on two famous American ships 
bearing the name of Wasp. 


A NEW BOOK BY PAUL DU 
CHAILLU 


IN AFRICAN FOREST AND JUNGLE 

By Paul Du Chaillu. With 24 Illustrations by Victor 
Perard. $1.50 net (postage, 16c.). 

The last book of the late Paul Du Chaillu is an account 
of adventures in the Dark Continent where he won his 
first fame. It describes a visit to the country of Chief 
Rotembo, and the great traveler’s young readers will find it 
full of exciting and romantic interest. In the depths of 
the Great Forest the author and the hunters given him by 
Rotembo build a fortified camp that forms the center from 
which they make many adventurous excursions, often ac- 
companied by their famous hunting dog, Nndekko, and 
the tame monkey, Nndova, who decoys troops of his 
species within range of their guns. They encounter and 
slay all kinds of animals — gorillas, elephants, leopards, 
antelopes, and others — get lost in the forest, and meet with 
natives whose curious customs and superstitions are graphi- 
cally described. 


KING MOMBO 

By Paul Du Chaillu. Author of “The World of the 
Great Forest,” ete. With 24 Illustrations. $1.50 
net (postage, 16c.). 

The scene is the great African forest. It is a book of 
interesting experiences with native tribes, and thrilling and 
perilous adventures in hunting elephants, crocodiles, go- 
rillas, and other fierce creatures among which this famous 
explorer lived so long. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


A List of Books by 
Kirk Munroe 

A SON OF SATSUMA 

Or, with Perry in Japan. By Kirk Munroe. With 12 illus- 
trations by Harry C. Edwards. $1.00 net. 

This absorbing story for boys deals with one of the most interesting 
episodes in our National history. From the beginning Japan has been a 
land of mystery. Foreigners were permitted to land only at certain 
points on her shores, and nothing whatever was known of her civilization 
and history, her romance and magnificence, her wealth and art. It was 
Commodore Perry who opened her gates to the world, thus solving the 
mystery of the ages, and, in this thrilling story of an American boy in 
Japan at that period, the spirit as well as the history of this great 
achievement is ably set forth. 


IN PIRATE WATERS 

A Tale of the American Navy. Illustrated by I. W. Taber. 
12mo, $1.25. 

The hero of the story becomes a midshipman in the navy just at the 
time of the war with Tripoli. His own wild adventures among the 
Turks and his love romance are thoroughly interwoven with the stirring 
history of that time. 


WITH CROCKETT AND BOWIE 

Or, Fighting for the Lone Star Flag. A Tale of Texas. By 
Kirk Munroe. With 8 full-page Illustrations by Victor 
PIsrard. Crown 8vo. $1.25. 

The story is of the Texas revolution in 1835, when American Texans 
under Sam Houston, Bowie, Crockett, and Travis fought for relief from 
the intolerable tyranny of the Mexican Santa Afia. The hero, Rex 
Hardin, son of a Texan ranchman and graduate of an American military 
school, takes a prominent part in the heroic defense of the Alamo, and 
the final triumph at San Jacinto. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


By KIRK MUNROE 

THROUGH SWAMP AND GLADE 

A Tale of tlie Seminole War. By Kirk Munroe. With 8 
full-page Illustration? by V. PIsrard. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

Coaooochee, the hero of the story, is the son of Philip, the chieftain of 
the Seminoles. He grows up to lead his tribe in the long struggle which 
resulted in the Indians being driven from the north of Florida down to 
the distant southern wilderness. 


AT WAR WITH PONTIAC 

Or, the Totem of the Bear. A Tale of Redcoat and Redskin. 
By Kirk Munroe. With 8 full-page illustrations by J. 
Finnemore. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

A story when the shores of Lake Erie were held by hostile Indians. 
The hero, Donald Hester, goes in search of his sister Edith, who has 
been captured by the Indians. Strange and terrible are his experiences ; 
for he is wounded, taken prisoner, condemned to be burned, but contrives 
to escape. In the end all things terminate happily. 


THE WHITE CONQUERORS 

A Tale of Toltec and Aztec. By Kirk Munroe. With 8 full- 
page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

This story deals with the conquest of Mexico by Cortez and his Span- 
iards, the “White Conquerors,” who, after many deeds of valor, pushed 
their way into the great Aztec kingdom and established their power in 
the wondrous city where Montezuma reigned in splendor. 


MIDSHIPMAN STUART 

Or, the Last Cruise of the Essex. A Tale of the War of 
1812. Illustrated. 12mo, $1.25. 

This is an absorbing story of life in the American Navy during the 
stirring times of our war of 1812. The very spirit of the period is in its 
pages, and many of the adventures of the Essex are studied from history. 


TWO NEW BOOKS FOR YOUNG 
PEOPLE. FALL OF 1903 


THE STORY OF KING ARTHUR 
AND HIS KNIGHTS 

By Howard Pyle, author of “ Robin Hood,” etc. Pro- 
fusely illustrated by the author. 8vo, about $2.50 net. 

For hundreds of years the legend of King Arthur and 
the Knights of the Round Table has been one of the most 
precious possessions in the world’s storehouse of romance. 
Mr. Howard Pyle, whose “ Robin Hood” has long been 
a juvenile classic, in the story of King Arthur and His 
Knights gives to the old legend an entirely fresh charm. 
Told in the same style which distinguished his “ Robin 
Hood,” produced in the same handsome binding, and 
profusely illustrated with Mr. Pyle’s characteristic drawings, 
this legend of never-ending interest seems more attractive 
and enthralling than ever before. While for young people it 
promises to be even more popular than ‘‘Robin Hood,” 
older readers will find it equally absorbing. It is certainly 
the most important book of the year for young readers. 

MY WONDERFUL VISIT 

By Elizabeth Hill. Illustrated, $1.20 net (postage, 14c.). 

Miss Hill is a new writer, but a born one. None of her 
predecessors has possessed more signally that rarest of gifts 
which enables the owner to see into the mind of the child 
and write about children from within. She knows in- 
stinctively how a child thinks and feels and acts. Her 
little people are portrayed with the utmost sympathy 
and made to portray themselves with a delightful and con- 
vincing inadvertence. Her touch strikingly recalls that 
which won its fame for the famous “ Little Women.” This 
story describes the simple experiences of a little city girl 
during a vacation in the country, but with a charm and 
humor and verisimilitude that give the book a very marked 
individuality. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


THE BOOK OF JOYOUS CHILDREN 

By James Whitcomb Riley. Profusely Illustrated 
by Will Vawter. $1.20 net (postage, 10c.). 

The sweetness, the grace, the laughter, and the tender- 
ness of Mr. Riley’s best verse are found to the full in this 
book of delightful poems for and about children. The 
illustrations have been made under the author’s supervision, 
and portray the scenes and the little heroes and heroines 
of the poems with artistic fidelity. 

A CAPTURED SANTA CLAUS 

By Thomas Nelson Page. Illustrated in Colors. i2mo. 
75 cents. 

This exquisite story of childhood is one of the most deli- 
cate that even Mr. Page has written. It is an episode of 
the Civil War in which children are the little heroes. The 
period is the Christmas time, and the scene is between the 
lines of the Union and Confederate Armies. 

ROB AND HIS GUN 

By William Alexander Linn. With 8 Illustrations. 
$1.00 net (postage, 10c.). 

The adventures of a boy with a gun under the instruc- 
tion of his cousin, an accomplished sportsman. The book’s 
aim is to interest boys in hunting in the spirit of true sport 
and to instruct in the ways of game birds and animals. 

WHAT A GIRL CAN MAKE AND 
DO: New Ideas for Work and Play 

By Lina Beard and Adelia B. Beard. Authors of “ The 
American Girl’s Handy Book.” Profusely Illustrated. 
Square 8vo. $1.60 net (postage 16c.). 

An admirable collection of entirely new and original in- 
door and outdoor pastimes for American girls, each fully 
and interestingly described and explained, and all designed 
to stimulate the taste and ingenuity at the same time that 
they entertain. 


SEA FIGHTERS FROM DRAKE TO 
FARRAGUT 

By Jessie Peabody Frothingham. Illustrations by Reu- 
terdahl. $1.20 net (postage, 14c.). 

Drake, Tromp, De Reuter, Tourville, Suffren, Paul 
Jones, Nelson, and Farragut are the naval heroes here pict- 
ured, and each is shown in some great episode which illus- 
trates his personality and heroism. The book is full of the 
very spirit of daring and adventurous achievement. 


JEB HUTTON, A GEORGIA BOY 

By James B. Connolly. Illustrated by M. J. Burns. 
$1.20 net (postage, 13c.). 

A thoroughly interesting and breezy tale of boy-life 
along the Savannah River by a writer who knows boys and 
who has succeeded in making of the adventures of Jeb and 
his friends a story that will keep his young readers absorbed 
to the last page. 


By ERNEST THOMPSON SETON 

LIVES OF THE HUNTED 

Being a true account of the doings of four quadrupeds and 
three birds. With 200 Illustrations. $1.75 net 
(postage, 15c.). 

“Should be put with Kipling and Hans Christian An- 
dersen as a classic/’ — The Athenaeum (London). 


WILD ANIMALS I HAVE KNOWN 

With 200 Illustrations. Square i2mo, $2.00 

Mr. Ernest Thompson Seton’s first and most famous 
book. More than 100,000 have been sold so far. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY ROBERT LEIGHTON 

“Mr. Leighton’s place is in the front rank of writers of boys’ hooks.” 

—Standard. 


THE GOLDEN GALLEON 

Illustrated, crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

This is a story of Queen Elizabeth’s time, just after the defeat of the 
Spanish Armada. Mr. Leighton introduces in his work the great sea- 
fighters of Plymouth town — Hawkins, Drake, Raleigh, and Richard 
Grenville. 


OLAF THE GLORIOUS 

With 8 full-page Illustrations by Ralph Peacock. Crown 8vo, 
olivine edges, $1.50. 

This story of Olaf, King of Norway, opens with his being found living 
as a bond-slave in Esthonia, and follows him through his romantic 
youth in Russia. Then come his adventures as a Viking, his raids upon 
the coasts of Scotland and England, and his conversion to Christianity. 
He returns to Norway as king, and converts his people to the Christian 
faith. 

WRECK OF “ THE GOLDEN FLEECE ” 

The Story of a North Sea Fisher-boy. With 8 full page Illustra- 
tions by Frank Brangwyn. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero is a parson’s son who is apprenticed on board a Lowestoft 
fishing lugger. The lad suffers many buffets from his shipmates, while 
the storms and dangers which he braved are set forth with intense power. 

THE THIRSTY SWORD 

A Story of the Norse Invasion of Scotland (1262-63). With 
8 full-page Illustrations by Alfred Pearse, and a Map. 
Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

This story tells how Roderick Mac Alpin, the sea-rover, came to the 
Isle of Bute; how he slew his brothe» in Rothesay*Castle; how the earl’s 
eldest son was likewise slain; how young Keuric now became king of 
Bute, and vowed vengeance against the slayer of his brother and father, 
and finally, how this vow was kept, when Kenric and the murderous 
sea-rover met at midnight and ended their feud in one last great fight. 

THE PILOTS OF POMONA 

A Story of the Orkney Islands. With 8 full-page Illustrations 
by John Leighton, and a Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
$1.50. 

Halcro Ericson, the hero, happens upon many exciting adventures 
and hard experiences, through which he carries himself with quiet 
courage. The story gives a vivid presentation of life in these far 
northern islands. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


AN ANIMAL ABC 

A Humorous Alphabet. By H. B. Neilson. 4to, $1.00. With 
24 pages of Illustrations in two colors and 24 pages in 
black and white. Verses by “The Cockiolly Bird.” 

A remarkably attractive collection of spirited and original animal 
pictures by an artist who excels in this line. 


ROUNDABOUT RHYMES 

Written and pictured by Mrs. Percy Dearmer. Beautifully 
printed. With 20 full-page plates in colors. Small 4to, 
$ 1 . 00 . 

This book is unusually attractive in form, and is admirably suited 
to the youngest readers. The pictures, together with the delightful 
series of half playful rhymes accompanying them, have a quaint nur- 
sery air that will render them particularly dear to a child’s heart. 


THE LITTLE BROWNS 

By Mabel E. Wolton. With 80 Illustrations by H. M. 
Brock, and a Colored Frontispiece. Square 8vo, gilt edges, 
$ 2 . 00 . 

The Little Browns are a delightful set of youngsters, more than 
usually individual and self-reliant. During their parents’ absence they 
extend hospitality to a stranger, under the belief that he is their uncle 
from Australia. The supposed uncle is really a burglar, and by their 
courage and childish resources they outwit him. The Little Browns is 
the work of a true child-lover. 


BY CARTON MOORE PARK 

A BOOK OF BIRDS 

Profusely Illustrated with full-page plates, vignettes, cover 
design, etc., etc. Demy 4to (13 inches by 10 inches), $2.00. 

No artist has caught more thoroughly the individualities of the bird 
world, or has reproduced them with more lifelike vivacity and charm. 


AN ALPHABET OF ANIMALS 

With 26 full-page Plates, a large number of vignettes, and 
cover design by Carton Moore Park. Demy 4to (13 
inches by 10 inches), $2.00. 

A strikingly artistic alphabet book. Mr. Park’s drawings are marked 
by extraordinary boldness and vigor of treatment ; but they display in 
addition a rare appreciation of the subtler characteristics of the animal 
world. Of these individual traits Mr. Park has an intuitive perception, 
and his pictures may almost be said to live upon the page. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY DR. GORDON STABLES 


COURAGE TRUE HEART 

A Brilliant New Story of Danger and Daring on the Sea. By 
Gordon Stables, M.D., C.M. Illustrated, crown 8vo, 
$1.25. 

A NAVAL CADET 

A Story of Adventure by Sea. By Gordon Stables, M.D., 
C.M. Illustrated, crown 8vo, $1.25. 

FOR LIFE AND LIBERTY 

A Story of Battle by Land and Sea. By Gordon Stables, 
M.D., C.M. With 8 full-page Illustrations by Sidney 
Paget. 12 mo, $1.50. 

The story of an English boy who runs from home and joins the South- 
ern army in the late Civil War. His chum enters the navy, and their 
various adventures are set forth with great vigor and interest. 

TO GREENLAND AND THE POLE 

A Story of Adventure in the Arctic Regions. By Gordon 
Stables, M.D., C.M. With 8 full-page Illustrations by 
G. C. Hindley, and a map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, 
$1.50. 

The author is himself an old Arctic voyager, and he deals with deer- 
hunting in Norway, sealing in the Arctic Seas, bear-stalking on the 
ice-floes, the hardships of a journey across Greenland, and a successful 
voyage to the back of the North Pole. 

WESTWARD WITH COLUMBUS 

By Gordon Stables, M.D., C.M. With 8 full-page Illustra- 
tions by Alfred Pearse. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

The hero of this story is Columbus himself. His career is traced 
from boyhood onward through the many hazardous enterprises in which 
he was at various times engaged. The narrative deals chiefly, however, 
with the great naval venture which resulted in the discovery of the 
American continent. 

’TWIXT SCHOOL AND COLLEGE 

A Tale of Self-reliance. By Gordon Stables, M.D., C.M. 
With 8 full-page Illustrations by W. Parkinson. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


IN THE DICTATOR’S GRIP 

By John Samson. Illustrated. 12mo, $1.25 

A vigorous and telling story of an Englishman’s adventures in the 
Pampas and Paraguay. 

JONES THE MYSTERIOUS 

By Charles Edwardes. With 3 Illustrations by Harold 
Copping. 12mo, 75 cts. 

A bright story of English schoolboy life, with mysterious happenings 
to the hero, who has a secret and weird “ power,” bestowed upon him 
by his East Indian bearer. 

THE HISTORY OF GUTTA-PERCHA 
WILLIE 

The Working Genius. By George Macdonald. With 8 Illus- 
trations by Arthur Hughes. New Edition. 12mo, 75 cts. 

WYNPORT COLLEGE 

A Story of School Life. By Frederick Harrison. With 8 
Illustrations by Harold Copping. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

The hero and his chums differ as widely in character as in personal 
appearance. We have Patrick O’Fflahertie, the good-natured Irish 
boy ; Jack Brookes, the irrepressible humorist ; Davie Jackson, the 
true-hearted little lad on whose haps and mishaps the plot to a great 
extent turns ; and the hero himself. 

THE ROVER’S SECRET 

A Tale of the Pirate Cays and Lagoons of Cuba. By Harry 
Colling wood. With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. C. 
Symons. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

The hero of “The Rover’s Secret,” a young officer of the British 
navy, narrates his peculiar experiences iu childhood and his subsequent 
perils and achivements. 

THE PIRATE ISLAND 

A Story of the South Pacific. By Harry Collingwood. 
Illustrated by 8 full-page Pictures by C. J. Staniland and 
J. R. Wells. Olivine edges. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

This story details the adventures of a lad who was found in his in- 
fancy on board a wreck, and is adopted by a fisherman. Going to sea, 
he forms one of a party who, after being burned out of their ship, 
are picked up by a pirate brig and taken to the “Pirate I-sland,” where 
they have many thrilling adventures. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN 

DICK O’ THE FENS 

A Romance of the Great East Swamp. With 12 full-page 
Illustrations by Frank Dadd. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

BROWNSMITH’S BOY 

With 6 page Illustrations. Crown, 8vo, $1.00. 

YUSSUF THE GUIDE 

Being the Strange Story of Travels in Asia Minor. With 8 full- 
page Illustrations. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

THE GOLDEN MAGNET 

A Tale of the Land of the Incas. With 12 full-page pictures by 
Gordon Browne. Crown 8 vo, $1.50. 

NAT THE NATURALIST 

A Boy’s Adventures in the Eastern Seas. Illustrated by 8 full- 
page Pictures by George Browne. Crown, 8vo, olivine 
edges, $1.50. 

QUICKSILVER 

Or. A Boy with no Skid to his Wheel. With 10 full-page Illus- 
trations by Frank Dadd. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

DEVON BOYS 

A Tale of the North Shore. With 12 full-page Illustrations by 
Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

MOTHER CAREY’S CHICKEN 

Her Voyage to the Unknown Isle. With 8 full-page Illustra- 
tions. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

BUNYIP LAND 

The Story of a Wild Journey in New Guinea. With 6 full-page 
Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

IN THE KING’S NAME 

Or, The Cruise of the Kestrel. Illustrated by 12 full-page Pic- 
tures by Gordon Browne. Crown 8vo, $1.50. 

MENHARDOC 

A Story of Cornish Nets and Mines. With 6 full-page Illustra- 
tions by C. J. Staniland. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

PATIENCE WINS 

Or, War in the Works. With 6 full-page Illustrations. Crown 
8vo, $1.00. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


BY HARRY COLLINGWOOD 

THE LOG OF A PRIVATEERSMAN 

With 12 full-page Illustrations by W. Rainey, R.I. Crown 
8 vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

In the war between Napoleon and the British, many privateers were 
sent out from England to 6eize and destroy the French merchant vessels. 
On one of these George Bowen went as second mate. Long distance 
duels at 6ea, fights at close quarters, fierce boarding attacks, capture and 
recapture, flight and pursuit, storm and wreck, fire at sea and days with 
out food or water in a small boat on the ocean, are some of the many 
thrilling experiences our hero passed through. 


BY PROFESSOR A. J. CHURCH 

LORDS OF THE WORLD 

A story of the Fall of Carthage and Corinth. By Professor 
A. J. Church. With 12 full-page Illustrations by Ralph 
Peacook. Crown 8vo, olivine edges $1.50. 

The scene of this story centres in the destruction of Carthage by the 
Romans. The young hero is captured by the Romans, but wearing the 
dress of his twin sister, escapes death. Entering the army of Carthage 
he is in the thick of the long conflict and passes through many thrilling 
adventures. 


BY S BARING-QOULD 

GRETTIR THE OUTLAW 

A story of Iceland. By S. Baring-Gould. With 10 full- 
page Illustrations by M. Zeno Diemer, and a Colored 
Map. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

No boy will be able to withstand the magic of such scenes as the fight 
of Grettir with twelve bearserks and the wrestle with Karr the Old in 
the chamber of the dead. 

THE MISSING MERCHANTMAN 

By Harry Collingwood. With 6 full-page pictures by W. 
H. Overend. Crown 8vo, $1.00. 

A fine Australian clipper is seized by the crew; the passengers are 
landed on one deserted island, the captain and a junior officer on another, 
and the young hero of the story is kept on board to navigate the ship, 
which the mutineers refit as a private vessel. 

THE CONGO ROVERS 

A Tale of the Slave Squadron. By Harry Collingwood. 
With 8 full-page Illustrations by J. Schonberg. Crown 
8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

FIGHTING THE MATABELE 

By J. Chalmers. With 6 Illustrations by Stanley L. Wood. 
12mo, $1.25. 


BOOKS FOB YOUNG PEOPLE 


GOOD BOOKS FOR GIRLS 


THREE FAIR MAIDS 

Or, The Burkes of Derrymore. By Katharine Tynan. With 
12 Illustrations by G. D. Hammond. Crown 8vo, olivine 
edges, $1.50. 

A story of Irish country life. The three fair maids are the daughters 
of an impoverished Irish lady. Sir Jasper’s disinheritance of their 
father obliged them to give up their great house, but the family 
is ultimately reconciled with Uncle Peter, who makes Elizabeth his 
heiress. 

THREE BRIGHT GIRLS 

A Story of Chance and Mischance. By Annie E. Armstrong. 
With 6 full-page Illustrations by W. Parkinson. Crown 
8 vo, $1.25. 

‘‘Among many good stories for girls this is undoubtedly one of the 
very best.” — Teachers' Aid. 

A NEWNHAM FRIENDSHIP 

By Alice Stronach. With 6 Illustrations by Harold Copping. 
Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

A description of life at Newnham College. Men students play their 
part in the story, and the closing chapters describe the work of some 
of the girls as “ social settlers ” in the east of London. 

THE LADY ISOBEL 

A Story for Girls. By Eliza F. Pollard. With 4 Illustra- 
tions by W. Fulton Brown. 12mo, $1.00. 

A Tale of the Scottish Covenanters. 

A GIRL OF TO-DAY 

By Ellinor Davenport Adams. With 6 page Illustrations by 
Gertrude Demain Hammond, R.I. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 

The boys and girls of Woodend band themselves together, and that 
they have plenty of fun is seen in the shopping expedition to purchase 
stores for their society, and in the successful Christmas entertainment. 
Max Brenton’s fight with Joe Baker, the bully, shows that their work 
has its serious side as well. 

CYNTHIA’S BONNET SHOP 

By Rosa Mulholland (Lady Gilbert). With 8 Illustrations by 
C. D. Hammond, R.I. Crown 8vo, olivine edges, $1.50. 

Cynthia, one of three charming, lively sisters of an impoverished 
Connaught family, desires to make money for the 6ake of her delicate 
mother. If she had only capital she would open a millinery establish- 
ment in London. The capital is mysteriously supplied, and the secret 
of the unknown benefactor is kept to the end. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE 


GOOD BOOKS FOR GIRLS 


BY ETHEL F. HEDDLE 

A MYSTERY OF ST. RULES 

$1.50. 

An absorbing novel for girls, the action of which revolves round the 
mystery of a stolen diamond, but is full of delightful character 
sketches, and the background of the gray old city is charmingly filled 
in. The mystery is well maintained, and the love interest is 6trong 
to the end. 

AN ORIGINAL GIRL 

Illustrated. 12mo, $1.50. 

A tale of London and English country life. The author is a favorite 
writer for girls, whose previous books have been unusually popular. 


THINGS WILL TAKE A TURN 

By Beatrice Harraden, Author of “Ships that Pass in the 
Night.” Illustrated. 12mo, $1.00. 

It is the story of a sunny-hearted child, Rosebud, who assists her 
grandfather in his dusty, second-hand bookshop. 

LAUGH AND LEARN 

The Easiest Book of Nursery Lessons and Nursery Games. By 
Jennett Humphreys. Charmingly Illustrated. Square 
8vo, $1.25. 

“One of the best books of the kind imaginable, full of practical 
teachings in word and picture, and helping the little ones pleasantly 
along a right royal road to learning.” — Graphic. 

ADVENTURES IN TOYLAND 

By Edith King Hall. With 8 Colored Plates and 72 other 
Illustrations by Alice B. Woodward. Square 8vo, $2.00. 

The story of what a little girl heard and saw in a toy shop. 

NELL’S SCHOOL DAYS 

A Story of Town and Country. By H. P. Gethen. With 4 
Illustrations, $1.00. 

VIOLET VEREKER’S VANITY 

By Annie E. Armstrong. With 6 Illustrations by G. D. Ham- 
mond. Crown 8vo, $1.25. 


BOOKS FOR YOUNG rEOTLF 


GOOD BOOKS FOR GIRLS 


BY ALICE CORKRAN 

DOWN THE SNOW STAIRS 

Or, From Good-night to Good-morning. With character Illus- 
trations by Gordon Browne. Square crown 8vo, olivine 
edges, $1.25. 

“ A gem of the first water, bearing upon every one of its pages the 
signet mark of genius. . . . All is told with 6uch simplicity and 

perfect naturalness that the dream appears to be a solid reality. It is 
indeed a little Pilgrim’s Progress.” — Christian Leader. 

MARGERY MERTON’S GIRLHOOD 

With 6 full-page Illustrations by Gordon Browne. Crown 
8vo, $1.25. 

The experience of an orphan girl who in infancy is left by her father, 
an officer in India, to the care of an elderly aunt residing near Paris. 


A VERY ODD GIRL 

Life at the Gabled Farm. By Annie E. Armstrong. With 6 
full-page Illustrations by S. T. Dadd. Crown, $1.25. 

HER FRIEND AND MINE 

A Story of Two Sisters. By Florence Coombe. With 3 
Illustrations by Wm. Rainey. 12mo, $1.00. 

THE EAGLE’S NEST 

By S. E. Cartwright. With 3 Illustrations by Wm. Rainey. 
12mo, $1.00. 

MY FRIEND KATHLEEN 

L/ Jennie Chappell. With 4 Illustrations by John H. 
Bacon. 12mo, $1.00. 

A DAUGHTER OF ERIN 

By Violet G. Finny. With 4 Illustrations. Price, $1.00. 


CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 

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